Miles Away
by Stage and ToT
Summary: Three days after their flight from Manhattan, the newsies are able to head back to the Lodging House they left behind. It's finally revealed what happened at the East River and Belle has a surprise. **COMPLETE!**
1. A Quick Trip Down the Stairs

**Disclaimer:  **I do not own the Manhattan newsies, but I DO own the Chicago newsies!  BWAHAHA!  All mine!  Well…except ToT, Dottie, Sparkles, Red, Skitch, Beamer, and Belle.  They all own themselves.  I had to put 'em in!  We're all Chicagoans (Skitch ish an honorary)!  Bwaha! _::runs in circles::_

**Opening Comments: **Yes, the malicious duo of us ish back.  Ths fic may not be just as insane as our other.  ^^;  Heehee.

**Title: **Miles Away****

**Authors: **Stage and ToT

****

"UP!  Everyone out of their beds!  Lets go, right now.  Sell the papers or I'll kick ya'll out!  _Up_!" Windy yelled at the top of her lungs, ringing a large bell as she walked into the girl's bunkroom.  Bleary-eyed and still half asleep, they grudgingly complied.

Windy walked out of the room and into a much smaller one.  There were fewer bunks in this room, seeing as how there weren't as many boys who took up the job of a newsie.  There were other things for them to do, but some found newsie life easier and safer as opposed to the meat packing industry.

She gave them the same wakeup call as the girls, but they were slower in getting up.  A few didn't even bother. Windy sighed and walked out.  She returned with three buckets full of ice-cold water, taken directly from Lake Michigan.  The youngest boy stopped and whispered something to an older one with dark hair and brilliant green eyes.  The younger one giggled in anticipation.

Windy picked up the first bucket and walked up to a bunk.  On the lower bed, one of the older boys was buried underneath a heap of blankets.  She lifted up the bucket and poured the water onto the boy.  He fell off the bed with a muffled shout and jumped to his feet.

"What was that for?!" He demanded, water dripping off his hair.

"Sorry, Beamer…you know the rules.  Now get going." Windy replied sternly, making shooing motions with her hands.  "You have to pay your own way."

"Hug first!"  Beamer exclaimed, hugging her and she shrieked.  Windy swung at his head with the empty bucket and he dodged off to the left, laughing.  The other boys congratulated him and Beamer took a sweeping bow.

"Get going, all of you!" Windy yelled, pointing a finger.  They all walked out and into their bathroom.  She turned around, tossing her long blonde hair over her shoulder.  Stealthily, Windy approached her next victim.

She applied the same treatment to the next bed.  This one reacted differently, sitting straight up in the bed and banging his head on the top bunk.  He yelled out a curse and got up from his soaked bed.

"Don't curse like that, Skittles.  'Specially not in front of Cheese and Crackers."

"Crackers ain't here."

"Doesn't matter.  Move along." Windy replied, pushing him forward.  Skittles slouched off, he was never a morning person.  She turned toward the last bunk—this one being on top.  Windy sighed…she should be used to this.  She half-heartedly poured the water over the last one.

 "Aaah," He said, lying on his back and his hands behind his head.  "Good morning, Windy.  You know, with you doin' this every morning, I don't need to take a bath.  My own bed is the Mediterranean."

"Mop Top, d'you have to do this every morning?"

"What are you complaining about?  Its very refreshing."

"There's no fun in it anymore."

"That hurts." Mop Top said with a grin.  He jumped out of the bed and sauntered towards the bathroom.  

Windy sighed and headed downstairs.  She was in her early twenties with blonde hair and green eyes.  Windy had set up the newsie boarding house when she had first come to the "Windy City".  It was then that she had gotten her nickname from the first few kids there.

The first two down the steps and into the kitchen were the twins, Cheese and Crackers.  Both were brown-haired and hazel-eyed.  Crackers was a short girl while her twin brother towered over her by three inches.  The two had English backgrounds and were ten.

Windy looked up when she heard a commotion at the top of the stairs.  She smiled, she knew who was up there.

"ToT!" Beamer exclaimed as he ran into her at the top of the stairs.  ToT looked up from where she had been leaning against the banister and talking with Stage, a fellow roommate.

"Beamer!" She replied.  Stage rolled her eyes as the two launched into a conversation.  

Stage was average height with mahogany hair and blue eyes.  She had a slight Italian look about her.  Stage tapped her foot impatiently for a while, then pulled out her pocket watch and looked at it.  She snapped it shut and waited further.

ToT was a few inches shorter with brown hair and hazel eyes.  The traces of her German accent had long since faded and she now talked like the others.  Beamer's dark auburn hair was swept back with the help of added water.  His eyes were a hazel-ish color.

"Let's go ya bums, we's gots papes to sell!" Mop Top exclaimed in his awful replication of a New York newsie accent.  "We's also gots breakfast to eats!"

"Mop, dat's awful." Stage said in her own version of a New Yorker.

"Stage, don't encourage him." ToT groaned.  Stage grinned and started to ruffle Mop Top's hair.

It was obvious that Mop Top was full-blooded Greek.  His dark brown hair was very curly and shaggy, it hung down to his cheekbones.  Mop Top's eyes were a dark hazel color, darker than ToT's.  He sighed in somewhat annoyance as Stage continued to run her fingers through and play with Mop Top's hair.

"Stage, d'you have to…?"

"Mmhm." She replied, grinning.  Mop Top sighed again.

"Scratch a little to the left then, will ya?" He asked. 

"There?"

"Yeah!  Thanks.  You have longer nails than me." 

"Maybe if you didn't bite them..."

"So!  Breakfast!" Sparkles interrupted quickly.  She was the shortest of the newsies (apart from the twins) and had shoulder-length blonde hair.  Sparkles had bright blue eyes and knew when to stop conversations.

"We'd better get down there," Red spoke up.  She was Irish and had flaming red hair—hence the name.  Red's eyes were unique among all of them, being an orange-ish color.  "Penny'll eat it all otherwise."

"That hurts, Red." Penny said, coming into view.  Immediately, all the girls—except Stage who was still busy with Mop's hair—turned and stared at Penny.  He did his best to ignore them, you could practically see them drooling.

"Must you do this every morning?" He sighed.

"Do what?" Stage asked, looking up.  "Ooh…good morning, Penny."

"ToT?  ToT!" Beamer snapped his fingers in front of her face.  She remained distant-eyed.  "TOT!"

"Hm? Sorry? What?" ToT asked, coming back.  Beamer rolled his eyes.  Dottie strolled up to the group, hands stuffed in her pockets.

"Hey all." She greeted them.  Dottie had an unknown background as she saw it unimportant to live in the past.  Her eyes and hair were both brown-colored and her height was of average.  "Are we going down to breakfast?" 

"TAG, YOU'RE IT!" A fifteen-year-old boy yelled, smacking Stage hard on the back.  She lost her balance and started to fall over forwards, pulling Mop Top by his hair.  Mop Top reached out and grabbed Beamer's suspenders who in turn snatched ToT's arm for support.  She grabbed the back of Penny's shirt, he seized Red's shoulder, Red clutched Dottie's arm, and Dottie took hold of Sparkles's wrist.

"ACK!"

"Ouch!"

"Eek!"

"Look out!"

"Hey, that's my hair!"

"Let go!"

"Ah!  Here we go!"

_Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump! _The nine newsies tumbled down the stairs amidst many shouts and curses.  They landed in a heap at the bottom of the staircase, Stage and Mop Top on the bottom, Sparkles on the top.  Sparkles, Red, and Dottie hopped off the pile and Penny stretched out, still perched in his spot now atop the pile.

"PENNY!  Get off!" ToT yelled in a muffled tone.

"I don't know…I'm pretty comfortable…" Penny replied.  

"That's funny, I'm not!" Beamer shouted back.  ToT's elbow was digging into his stomach.  "It's rather hard to breathe here!"

"How d'you think I feel?!" Mop Top demanded.  "Get off, ToT!"

"I can't!"

"Ah, watch those nails!" Mop Top yelped.

"Sorry!"

"PENNY!" Chorused four annoyed voices.  Sparkles, Red, and Dottie were overcome with peals of laughter.

"TAG!  YOU JUST DUG YOUR OWN GRAVE!" Stage yelled.

Tag, at the top of the stairs, was clutching the banister for support.  He started to hyperventilate from laughing so hard.  

"What's going on in there?" Windy yelled from the kitchen.

"Nothing!" They all answered in unison.

"That is the biggest lie I've ever heard…" Windy muttered.

Skitch and Belle came down the stairs, casting odd glances at the pile.  Belle was French with blonde hair and blue eyes while Skitch was from Austria with strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes amidst a sea of freckles.  Belle was the only female newsie to wear a skirt on a regular basis.  They walked by the pile without helping.

"Save us!" ToT yelled after them.  Belle sighed and turned around.

"Penny, you want breakfast?"

"Alright!" He exclaimed jumping up, making the others "oof!".  Penny trailed after Belle like a puppy.

"Not if that's not the sickest thing I've ever seen…" ToT muttered. 

"Get off!" Beamer yelled, pushing her.  She landed on the bottom step of the stairs.  Mop Top and Stage threw Beamer forward and he grabbed the banister for support.  Stage laid on her back, shutting her eyes tightly.

"Ehhh…" She complained.  Mop Top hauled her up.  "No…need sleep…"

"Naw, you know the rule.  Sleep in and get a bucket of cold water dumped on you." Mop Top replied. "Since you aren't used to it…"

"Ew, how'd my back get wet?" ToT asked, twisting her head around to look at the spoken of body part.  "Beamer!"

"What?"

"You got soaked this morning, didn't you?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Hey, I'm wet too." Stage said with slight surprise.  "But in the meantime…"  Stage glared up the stairs at Tag.  She ran up the stairs, two at a time.  Tag stopped laughing and bolted.  Mop Top ran after Stage, overtook her, and dragged her back.

"Come on, breakfast.  He always hides in the boys bunkroom anyway." He told her, pulling her along into the kitchen.

****

**Closing Comments: **Heh…there's the first chapter about the Chicago newsies.  We have about seven more characters to introduce.


	2. FOOD FIGHT!

**Disclaimer:  **I do not own the Manhattan newsies, but I DO own the Chicago newsies!  BWAHAHA!  All mine!  Well…except ToT, Dottie, Sparkles, Red, Skitch, Beamer, and Belle.  They all own themselves.  __

**Opening Comments: **_!!!  WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!  IT AIN'T THAT HARD TO LEAVE A REVIEW! _::smacks repeatedly with newspapers and newsboy hats::_

**Rae Kelly: **Thank you~~~

**Skitch: **o_O Might want to cut down on _your_ sugar intake, there.

**Title: **Miles Away****

**Authors: **Stage and ToT

****

"Ah, something smells good this morning!" Penny exclaimed from his seat.  He was on the end.  From his end to the other it ran Belle, ToT, Red, Ivy, Dart, Rascal, Cheese, Crackers, and Tag.  Opposite—Penny to Tag—it was Skittles, Sparkles, Beamer, Skitch, Stage, Mop Top, Baygel, Tea, Dottie, and Windy.

Dart was around sixteen and loved to gamble.  His favorite game was—of course—darts.  He was brunette with dark eyes.  Dart was spunky but tended to keep to himself since not too many of the other newsies liked to gamble.  Besides, he always won.

Ivy was Scottish with red hair and livid green eyes.  She was rather quiet and had been in an orphanage her whole life.  When Ivy had arrived at the lodging house, she had been given her name because her eyes matched the color of the plant.

Rascal was from Iceland with dirty blonde hair.  His gray eyes were sharp and Rascal could spot anything shiny from a distance.  Rascal was also quite pale as he didn't like the heat much. 

Tag was short for his age.  He was from Romania and was dark haired and green eyed.  Tag was a troublemaker and lived for wrecking havoc upon unsuspecting people and boarding house members.

A mere glance from Penny would make most girls swoon.  A girl who didn't have to _live_ with him, that is.  Being Gypsy, he wasn't lacking in the looks department.  In fact, Penny was exceptionally good-looking.  He had wavy copper hair and deep green eyes.

Skittles had finally gotten over his morning crankiness.  Most had discovered it was safer to just avoid the boy in the morning.  He was quite a sight in the morning, amplified by his strange looks.  One eye was green, the other blue and he had raven hair that didn't seem all that uncharacteristic for his Czech background.  From his left ear hung a gold hoop and Skittle's hair was ruffled.  It gave him a "tough guy" appearance.

Baygel ate his namesake every morning, no matter what.  He was from out west, a Native American.  Baygel had been separated from his family somehow and had ended up in Chicago.  Baygel never talked about his background, but his looks showed exactly what his ethnic background was.

Tea was eighteen and the female version of Penny.  She was Chinese, tall, and had long glossy-black hair.  Tea's eyes were brown and she was a bit on the quiet side.  She prepared all the newsies's meals.

"So what happened this morning?" Skitch asked everyone.

"Tag pushed me down the stairs." Stage answered.

"What about the rest?"

"Chain reaction, pass the syrup."

"Ouch!" ToT said suddenly, jumping a little.  "What was that for?"

"What was what for?" Beamer asked innocently.  Yeah, right.  "Ow!"

"Hey!  That's my leg!" Red snapped, kicking back.

"Watch it." Skittles growled, lashing out himself.

"Don't kick me!" Sparkles whined.

"Ah, that's me!" Dottie jumped.

"Hey, what'd I do?" Tea spoke up.

"Cut it out!" Baygel muttered.

"Silly children." Penny said in an annoying tone.  _Splat._  Penny made a disgusted face as a piece of very syrupy pancake slid down his forehead.  He glared down the table at Stage who was eating her pancakes.  The kicking had stopped.  Windy froze…this was _not_ good.

Mop Top jumped up, a room-temperature stick of butter in his hand.  "FOOD FIGHT!" He yelled, slamming it to the table top.  The dairy product splattered everywhere and over everyone.  Soon all of them were throwing uneaten breakfasts at each other.  Windy and Tea had retreated underneath the table.  

"Never a dull moment." Windy commented.  "Y'all going to sell those papers or what?  I'm not letting you stay for free, you know!"

"Yes, you are!" Crackers shouted back.

"You two are an exception."

"Hey, that's not fair!" Baygel shouted.

"She's right, ya'know." Skittles replied.  "We should get going.  But first, I call the bathroom!" He took off and out of the kitchen.  The others stampeded after him, each making a separate claim to the bathroom. 

****

**Closing Comments: **^^ Stage loves Skittles.  ToT wants the hottie know as Penny! XD XD I know short chapter.  Eh, what can you do? _::shrugs::_


	3. Dancin' In the Streets (Newsie Circus!)

**Disclaimer:  **Blah, blah, blah…__

**Opening Comments: **BLAH~  No opening comments today.

Shout Outs~ 

**Rae Kelly: **All in good time.

**Fastdancr: **No, they didn't pull a prank.  Just kinda…forgot about it. ^^;

**Bam: **Practice makes perfect.  You should see some of our earlier writings.  _::shudders::_

**Princessred: **D'you mean Penny?  XD Choir trip, huh?  Fun, fun.  Gets cold up here.  Stupid winter.

**Skitch: **Of course you can't wait. XD

**Title: **Miles Away****

**Authors: **Stage and ToT

****

Eventually, they took to the streets making their way to the distribution office.  Dottie, Belle, and Red were walking first with Penny; Mop Top, Stage, Skittles, Skitch, and Sparkles next; and then Beamer, ToT, Ivy, and Tag were in a small group.  The others were scattered about in odd places.

Stage said something to Skittles.  The two linked arms and started doing a little jig down the street together.  Penny looked distastefully over his shoulder at the two.  He turned around and blocked their way.

"What are you two doing?" 

"Dancing." Skittles replied with a blink.

"Cheating on Mop Top, eh, Stage?"

Stage linked her arm through Mop Top's and pulled him over.  She gave a pouty look up to Penny.  "Can't I have both?"

Behind her, Beamer, ToT, and Belle cracked up.  The others began to snicker too.  Red and Dottie's eyebrows had shot up.  Penny glared around at them, to no avail.  

"Why does he set himself up for these things?" Skitch snickered.

"You know what they say," Ivy began.  "The pretty ones were busily admiring themselves in the mirror when the brains were passed out."

This comment sent the others into more laughter which was just amplified by Penny asking ever so cluelessly, "What?"

"Hey, don't make fun of him." Red said, patting Penny on the back. 

"You guys are mean." Dottie added.

"Let's keep going." Mop Top said, walking forward.  Sparkles stood in his way.  He lifted her up, set Sparkles on his shoulders, and kept walking.  Sparkles was—to say the least—surprised.  She grabbed onto his hair.  "Ow, don't pull."

"Sorry." Sparkles replied absently, playing with a curl.

"Hm." Penny grabbed Dottie and slung her over one shoulder.  Her eyes went wide as saucers and the others laughed at the look on her face.

"Well…at least I don't have to walk anymore.  And I _do _have a nice view." Dottie commented.

"Do you now?" Penny asked, prancing a little.

"Penny, you're making a scene." Skittles pointed out dryly.

"And you weren't?"

"We were dancing a jig.  You, however, resemble a cave man bring home a bride." Stage replied.  By now, ToT was sitting on the cobblestones, clutching her stomach.  After a few seconds, she was able to walk again but every so often a choked giggle would pop out.

Stage got bored of walking and started cart wheeling.  Skittles was walking on his hands, often times veering off to one side furiously to keep his balance.

"Whoaaaa!" He exclaimed, going to the left side of the street.  Skittles relaxed when he regained his balance.  Then he started to tip to the right.  "WHOAAAA!" Skittles quickly went back to the right side of the street.

"LEAP FROG!" Beamer exclaimed, jumping over Cheese.  The others ducked as he leapt over each of them.  Beamer wasn't paying attention to where he was going and crashed into Skittles.  The two fell over onto the cobblestones.

"DOG PILE!" Red yelled.  The others—with the exception of Belle, Sparkles, Mop Top, Penny, and Dottie—did so.  ToT jumped onto the top of the pile and struck a pose.

"Newsie Pyramid!"

"Get off!" The other newsies yelled, pushing her off and they all got up.

"All right guys, I think we've made a big enough scene today." Belle said as they started walking again.  

"Not big enough!" Rascal replied, cheerfully.  Cheese and Crackers were latched onto Penny's legs.  He was beginning to have some trouble with all the weight he was sporting.

Ivy started doing aerials from curb to curb of the narrow street.  She then flipped up the street, spun in mid-air, and landed on her feet.  Rascal came up to her and laced his fingers together.  Ivy put her foot on his hands and he flipped her up.  She back flipped and landed.

"How can there be," Beamer burst into song, making insignificant hand motions.  "Any 'sin' in sincere?  Where is the 'good' in goodbyeeee?" He grabbed Skitch and started waltzing with her.

"Here he goes…" Sparkles murmured.  Belle started to swing dance with Cheese who couldn't stop giggling.  Skittles and Stage started to jig again while Beamer ran out of music and started a new song.

"I'm a Yankee doodle dandy!" He sang loudly, moving onto dance with Crackers.  "A real live version of my uncle Sam, born on the forth of July!"

Again, Beamer ran out of song lyrics and a dancing partner.  He starting singing "Puttin' On the Ritz" and tap dancing with an air cane and top hat.  ToT yanked off his newsie hat and smacked him with it.

"That's enough.  Come on, we have to get our papers."

"Yes ma'am!" 

The group soon arrived at the Distribution office and walked in through the gates.  It was dead silent inside.  Red jumped up the staircase and ripped a note off the door.  She read it silently first, then aloud.

"'The distribution office is closed'." 

****

**Closing Comments: **Can anyone believe that this story was supposed to be serious?  We can't seem to write serious stuff together…I guess that happens when your muses are cheese, crackers, and Sunkist.


	4. “LEAVE TOWN?!”

**Disclaimer:  **I do not own the Manhattan newsies, but I DO own the Chicago newsies!  BWAHAHA!  All mine!  Well…except ToT, Dottie, Sparkles, Red, Skitch, Beamer, and Belle.  They all own themselves.  I had to put 'em in!  We're all Chicagoans (Skitch ish an honorary)!  Bwaha! _::runs in circles::_

**Opening Comments: **BLA~H!

Shout Outs~ 

**Princessred: **;_; FatH makes me cry.

**ScreamQueen: **Alright!  We're super fab!

**Skitch: **Just out of curiosity, do you know how to waltz?

**Ladybug: **Rich…chocolate…ovaltine?? o_o

**Dreamcoat: **Yeah, we put on the Music Man…Beamer was part of da BQ, so…

**Title: **Miles Away****

**Authors: **Stage and ToT

****

There was a deadly silence that fell over the crowd of shocked newsies.  Stage, Skitch, Skittles, Sparkles, and Mop Top all exchanged disbelieving glances.  Belle jumped up next to Red and peered over her shoulder at the note.

"That's what it says, but what does it mean?" She asked.

"Means we ain't selling papers today." Penny said, putting down Dottie.

"Maybe we should head back and report to Windy." Baygel suggested.  There were murmurs of agreement that fluttered through the crowd.  The group turned and headed back out the gates, Red stuffing the note in her pocket.

They walked back in silence…no flipping, no dancing, no singing.  Although the Chicago newsies made it back in record time, no one seemed to care or be in the mood to feel like celebrating.

When they reached the lodging house, Dottie stormed ahead of the group and into the building.  The others exchanged glances…she wasn't safe when she was mad.  Come to think of it, none of them were.

"Windy!  Those idiots closed the distribution office!" Dottie yelled, searching the rooms for the caretaker.  "I don't know what they think they're doing, Chicago can't run without the newsies.  That mayor—"

She entered a room and stopped short.  The other newsies ran into her back.  They peered around her to see what had made her stop.  At the table, sitting across from Windy, was the mayor of Chicago.  He looked up when they entered, forcing a smile.

 "Hello, from what I heard, I'm guessing you know about the D.O." He said.  

"Bi—" Dottie began.

"HELLO!" Everyone else chorused, drowning her out.  The mayor looked a little taken aback by the enthusiasm. 

"I was just having a pleasant conversation with the mayor.  It seems that they would…" Windy trailed off, not quite sure how to put it.

"We would like the newsies to leave town."

"LEAVE TOWN?!" 

"Yes, that's what I said.  We need this building."

"Doesn't Chicago have _enough_ meat?" Red demanded.  "How many cows do you really need to cut up?"

"Maybe the cows will take over the world someday if we aren't careful." Sparkles suggested.  Some of the newsies snickered at her comment.  The mayor, however, was not amused.

"We would like to clean up our city.  Starting with the newsies." He replied.

"Where are we suppose to go?" Baygel piped up.

"Manhattan?" The mayor suggested.  "It's a big city, I'm sure you'll find work there."

"How exactly do you plan for us to get there?" Belle demanded.  "Fly?"

"That is for you to figure out, miss."

"Uh, mayor, perhaps we could discuss this.  Tea, would you join us?  The rest of you, go pack your stuff." Windy said, quickly.  Tea separated herself from the crowd standing in the doorway and walked into the room.

"What stuff?" Cheese and Crackers chorused.

"In other words 'we're discussing important things, go away and stay out form underfoot'." Skitch translated.  The group headed upstairs to their separate bunkrooms.

****

Three hours later, the mayor finally left.  Windy and Tea walked upstairs to give the current news.  The others clustered around them, eager to hear about the discussion with the mayor.

"We're leaving tomorrow morning at ten." Tea told them wearily.  "The ice-water treatment will not be applied tomorrow morning but we'll just leave you behind instead.  We have to make this train ride.  The mayor agreed to pay for our tickets.  He wont give us a second chance.  I want you all to look respectable.  Girls, that means you have to wear your skirts and no pants underneath."

Dottie, Red, and ToT all looked expectantly at Belle.  She blinked a few times, then sighed in defeat.

"Yeah, all right.  You're just lucky I have spare skirts." Belle told them.

"Mop Top," Windy said.  He turned to look at her.

"Yes?"

"I want you to actually get up tomorrow, understand?"

"Ma'am."

"And do something with your hair.  Skittles, your earring.  Dart, no gambling.  Tag, no playing 'tag' on the train.  And Beamer, for _God's sake_!  Don't sing!" Windy turned and went down the stairs, heading for her room.

"I didn't know I was that bad." Beamer mused thoughtfully.

"You aren't…it just gets annoying." Ivy murmured.

"Well, its time to say goodbye to our old life here." Rascal sighed.

"It's time to say goodbye!" Beamer sang.

"Paesi, che non ho mai," Stage started, picking up on the next verse.  "veduto e vissuto con te—"

"SHUT UP!" Everyone yelled at them.

"But its Italian Opera…" Stage pouted.

"Let's go, time to pack." Sparkles said as she, Dottie, Red, and ToT all dragged her into the girl's dormitory.

****

**Closing Comments: **The last song is "Time to Say Goodbye" by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman.  Good song.


	5. Boardin' The Train

**Disclaimer:  **I do not own the Manhattan newsies, but I DO own the Chicago newsies!  BWAHAHA!  All mine!  Well…except ToT, Dottie, Sparkles, Red, Skitch, Beamer, and Belle.  They all own themselves.  I had to put 'em in!  We're all Chicagoans (Skitch ish an honorary)!  Bwaha! _::runs in circles::_

**Opening Comments: **Yes, the malicious duo of us ish back.  Ths fic may not be just as insane as our other.  ^^;  Heehee.

Shout Outs~ 

**Rae Kelly: **I haven't read the jungle…I heard about the whole cutting-off-ones-finger-and-not-bothering-to-dig-after-it.  XP

**Dreamcoat: **Hehe.

**Skitch: **XD  Insane one.

**Sparkles: **ROCK ON!  XD  Yes, FF.net's review function sucks, don't it?

**Princessred: **Ah, yes.  The obsession with Blink fics… x_X  Poor Blinkie.

**Title: **Miles Away****

**Authors: **Stage and ToT

****

All of the Chicagoan newsies with the exception of Tea, Rascal, Baygel, and Dart stood on the platform, waiting for the train.  Tea had given up her newsie life, she was old enough to survive in the world alone.  Baygel had set out to find his tribe, heading further west.  Rascal had received a new job offering.  Dart had stayed with the girl he had been seeing, unbeknownst to the others.

It was a dreary morning.  It had stormed last night, leaving the city in a fog so thick, you could cut it with a knife.  A drizzle still fell about the town and the humidity level up.  The girls, Mop Top, and Penny were all annoyed by this as it frizzed their hair unmercifully.

"Haha!"  Beamer laughed loudly, pointing.  "Your hair's all screwed up!"

The others glared at him for a moment before abandoning their trunks to attack him.  Windy muttered something and massaged her temples.  Beamer thrashed, trying to escape his captors and yelling bloody murder.

"Not at the station!" Windy bellowed.  Everyone froze, looked at each other, and then went back to stand where they had before.  It wasn't a minute before chatter broke out once again.

"Where's our train?"

"What number are we?"

"I don't know, I can't read."

"What time is it?"

"What did I just say?!"

"I'm hungry!"

"I've been workin' on the railroad…"

"Shut _up_, Beamer!"

"You guys are embarrassing."

"So're you, Skit."

"Don't call me that again or I'll beat you up."

"Sure."

"Right."

"I'm trembling."

"Windy, I have to go to the bathroom."

"I thought I told you to go before we left."

"I didn't have to then."

"Argh.  I can't wait to lose you all in Manhattan."

"We love you too."

"But I don't wanna lose you!"

"She was just jokin', Cheese."

"Oh!  There's the train." Windy exclaimed, hearing the train.  "Now, this isn't a train for just us.  You have to behave!"

"Yeah, yeah."

"I'm serious."

"You're always serious."

"We'll be on our best behavior."

"That's what you said last time we were out in public."

"Did we?"

"I don't remember that."

"Ah well.  Let bygones be bygones." 

"Just get on the train."

****

Skittles whistled as he looked around at the car they were staying in.  "This is niiiice…"

"I call the bathroom!" Sparkles announced.  

"Right, I got the floor." Stage added.

"I want a bunk!" Everyone else yelled.  They all glared at each other and a shouting match broke out.  Windy sighed and put two fingers in her mouth, whistling shrilly.

"You all have your own bunks!"

"REALLY?!"

"Same gender!!"

"Awww…" Mop Top and Stage said, looking at each other.  Penny snickered for a moment, then came to a stunning realization.

"No!  Belle!" 

"No." She replied, grabbing onto Sparkles' arm.  The others quickly paired up, not wanting to be stuck with someone they didn't like.  Stage and ToT grabbed each other's arms as was the same with Cheese and Crackers.

"Heya, Skit." Mop Top said, leaning on the shorter one.

"Oh no."

"Hey, come on…I ain't that bad."

"That's what you think."

"That hurts, Skit.  It really does."

"Don't call me that!"

"Knock it off, right now!" Windy cut them off.  "I don't _care_ who you stay with!  Just find a compartment and unpack!  We'll eat breakfast as soon as y'all have put _everything_ away.  As in, folded and in the drawers!"

"You mean, we have to be neat?" Tag asked.

"Tag, you're staying with me."

"OK." He shrugged.  Everyone else bolted for the door, each wanting to claim the best compartment that they could possibly get.

"I claim top bunk!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Hey!  That's _ours_!  Get out!"

"Make us!"

"Oh, you asked for it!"

_Stomp, stomp, stomp.  _

"What are you kids doing here?!  This is a reserved car!"

"Whoa, _all_ of it?" 

"Where are your mothers?"

"Dead."

"Jail."

"Out west."

"Be damned if I know."

"Bottom of one of those oceans…"

"Will you be my Mommy?"

"Officer," Windy stuck her head out of the door.  "I'm Windy…these are my newsies.  The mayor reserved this car for us…for our lengthy trip to Manhattan, New York."

"Ma'am, sorry about that.  Please keep your kids quiet.  Breakfast is being served shortly." The officer tipped his hat, turned—best as he could in the small hallway space—and walked out of the car.

"Wow, ain't you a charmer?" Mop Top commented, elbowing Windy.  

"Go unpack.  Now."

****


	6. Pennies, Bobby Pins, Buttons, Marbles, P...

**Disclaimer:  **See other chapters.__

**Opening Comments: **Yes, the malicious duo of us ish back.  This fic may not be just as insane as our other.  ^^;  Heehee. Or it just might… That's for you to decide.

**Skitch: **^^;; Heh, heh…

**Dreamcoat: **o.O Eww…I don't think we'll be writing a story about _that._

**Mushtmblr: **Oh, boy.  XD Your lunch table?  Wish mine was that interesting.  All we do is that pop tab thing that tells you the first letter of the person you're supposed to marry.  

**Princessred: **Plaid knickerbockers, eh?  D  *plotplot*

**Title: **Miles Away****

**Authors: **Stage and ToT

****

"Mmm…spells _great_." Belle said, drooling a bit as they entered the dining car.  The newsies looked around, mouths open, at the fabulous array of foods.  Gaining back their senses, they scrambled to grab tables.

"This is a buffet." Windy said flatly.  "You serve yourself."

"REALLY!" 

"Cool!"

"Woohoo, food!  Here I come!" They all jumped up and clustered in front of the table.  The chefs behind the table looked at each other.

"What would you like, sir?"

"Blueberry pancakes, milk, hash browns, potatoes—" Skittles rattled off.

"Would you like bacon, hash browns, or eggs with those pancakes?"

"All, my good man."

"He's turned hoity-toity on us." Mop Top commented.

"Sir, you have to choose one." 

"But I want them all."

"I'm sorry, one side with one order of pancakes."

"Fine.  Gimme three, then."

"Sir, I can't allow you to eat that much…"

"You ain't my mother."

"But…"

"Look," Skittles, slammed a palm to the table.  The silverware lurched.  He adapted a Chicagoan accent. "You know what we do with punks like you?  Moider.  And no one ever finds the body…got it?  Now, gimme me breakfast.  Send the bill and any complaints to the Mayor of Chicago."

"Sir." The waiter replied, serving him.  Skitch waltzed up to the table next.  She set her plate on the table and grinned.

"Fill 'er up."

At a table by herself, Windy put her head into her hands and sighed.

****

"Ah, that was scrumptious." Stage sighed, sliding down in her seat.   Mop Top, Penny, Beamer, and Skittles were still eating away, now on their fifth or sixth serving…they really had lost count after the third.

Stage glanced back at the table.  They had cleaned it up and were now setting out cinnamon rolls and fruit.  She pushed past ToT and jumped up, going for the new food offerings.

"How does she do that?" Sparkles asked, watching as Stage filled up her plate.  She looked back to ToT when she didn't reply…and found the seat empty.  Sparkles looked back to the table, seeing ToT taking about three cinnamon buns and prancing back to the table with her find.

"I'm going to get sick from just watching y'all." She muttered.

"Windy!" Tag whined, holding up a sausage on the end of his fork.  "There's a finger in my sausage…"

"That's not funny." Windy muttered.

Belle looked down at her pile of food, which she was still working on.  She stopped cutting up the sausage she had been working on and rolled it to the far end of the plate.  That was also where the egg that Penny had sneezed on resided.

"Even so…" She replied. The pink fuzzy bunny that had been on the chair next to her hopped away and began to plot its evil scheme…

"When's lunch?" Mop Top asked, polishing off his food.  

"At the rates Belle's going…I'd say in about four hours." Dottie commented.  

"Would you hurry up?" Red demanded.

"What else are we going to do?" Tag asked.

"Poker." Beamer shrugged.

"I don't know how to play." Most of the girls chorused. 

"We'll teach you." Skittles replied.

"We don't have any money." Ivy pointed out in a dry tone.

"We can play with the compartment keys!" Penny grinned.  "We all have doubles."

"I'm not sure I like that idea…" Ivy replied.

"I do!" Beamer grinned.

"I second!" ToT added.

"Belle, hurry up and eat." Skitch whined.

"Alright, look closely…because I'll never do this ever again." Belle told them.  They all watched as she shoveled her remaining food into her mouth, took a swig of milk, and swallowed.  They cheered and whistled. 

"Alright, Belle!" 

"Let's roll!" Stage said, jumping up.  She immediately fell back down into her seat after hitting her head on the overhanging lamp.  "Damn, why are those so _low_?"  [AN:  o.O Wow, there's the first swear in the whole thing.  In chapter 6!  Oh, yes…and I have actually done this.  At Chili's I think it was.]

"Who's compartment is this going to be in?" Tag piped up.

"You can't play, Tag…you're too young." Skittles told him.  "Besides, Windy wouldn't appreciate it if you gambled away her room key."

"Aren't we giving them back at the end?"

"Nope."

"Well, why would you keep them?"

Silence.

"So, its in our room." Mop Top broke the silence and the others quickly went off, none wanting to explain to Tag.  The others scrambled after him, leaving Windy to make up some excuse to the non-corrupted Tag.

****

"My game." Penny announced, picking up the assortment of things in the middle.  Pennies, bobby pins and other clips, buttons, marbles, pebbles, and the most important of all…the room keys.

"Arrgh." ToT complained, watching him take her key away.  "Not fair."

"Deal.  Lets go." Belle said, glaring around the room.

****

"Hey, lookit that.  I win." Mop Top grinned.  "I'll just be taking these things, thank you all for your generous contributions."

****

"Luck be a lady toniiight!" Beamer sang out his victory.  He was immediately met with cards thrown at him.

"I don't quite think you're a lady…" Dottie said with eyebrows raised.

****

"Thanks, suckers." Skittles winked, claiming his prize.  Another groan came from the girls as they watched their keys change hands, once again.

****

"Full house." Penny said with a triumphant smirk.

"HAH!" Sparkles slammed her hand down.  "Two pair!"

"Well, well, well…look at this." Skitch spread her cards out before her.  "Royal flush.  Seems my 'beginner's luck' is kicking in."

"Damn, I thought I was going to win." Sparkles pouted.

****

"Hey.  I win.  Cool." Dottie exclaimed.  "Thank you, boys."

****

"YES!  Read 'em and weep, suckers!" ToT jumped up and started doing a victory dance.  "Girls rule and boys drool!"

"Sit down, shut up." Penny pouted.

****

"I WON!" Sparkles exclaimed.  

"And once again my hand is useless." Stage muttered, throwing her cards towards the center.

"Aw, don't worry, Stage.  We'll come visit you!" Mop Top grinned.

"That's what I'm afraid of."

****

"My game, boys." Belle announced, throwing down her hand.

"I hope you have _my_ key." Penny grinned.  Belle glared at him.

****

"Wait…wait…" Stage said, looking at her cards.  "What beats all?  A royal flush?"

"Yeah…" Skittles replied.

"Oh." She grinned. "Good."

"I fold." The others said in unison.

"Alright, lets see this winning hand." Beamer said.  Stage set them down on the floor.  The others stared from the cards to her, and back again.

"That's not a royal flush!" Mop Top exclaimed.

"Yeah, no shit." Stage replied, absently.

"You can't win with that!" Penny exclaimed, outraged.  

"I just did."

"Those cards aren't worth beans!  That's not how you play poker!" 

"That's how I play poker." Skittles said.

"Look, I won.  No one called my bluff." Stage replied, taking her prizes.  "Let's see…this is Skittles' key."

"Hey!  I got yours, too!"

"I've got Beamer's." Skitch said.

"I have Sparkles'." Belle added.

"I have yours…how did that happen?" Sparkles asked, swapping keys with Belle.

"I have…Penny's." ToT announced.

"I've got Mop Top's." Dottie put in.  

"This is Skitch's." Penny said.

"I have Dottie's." Beamer replied.

"I've got ToT's." Mop Top grinned again.  "Now I'll be able to keep that visit I promised."

"I'll put a chair in front of the door." ToT muttered. 

"I hate this game." Red muttered.

"I'm hungry." Mop Top complained after a pause.

"It's four-thirty.  You played right through lunch.  I think the early dinner is being served right now." Ivy said, sticking her head in the door.

"Let's eat!"

****

**Closing Comments: **XD I love the poker game dialogue.


	7. Midnight Raid

**Disclaimer: **See other chapters.__

**Opening Comments: **Whe~, we love reviews.  The closing comments hold an announcement that shall—I think—please all.

Shout Outs~ 

**Princessred: **Didja know?  Because of her proportions, if Barbie was a real person, she'd have to walk on all fours?  XD XD  

**Dreamcoat:** Patience, patience.  You'll really love those CC.

**Skitch:** ^^;;; Enjoying having possession of Beamer's key, ne?  Don't worry about that little 'gimme' this or 'gimme' that thing…you can have your cake and eat it too.  THIS IS FANFICTION!  WOO!

**Title: **Miles Away****

**Authors: **Stage and ToT

****

"Pst.  Stage, wake up." Skittles whispered, shaking her by her shoulder.  "Come on, lets go.  Get up."

"Huh?" Stage sat up, hitting her forehead against Skittles', and tumbling out of the bunk.  "SKITTLES!" 

"Shut up." Skittles hissed clamping a hand over her mouth.  "Get dressed, we're going for a raid."

"Next time you wake me up, don't lean down that far." Stage muttered, walking to the drawers.  She pulled on her clothes and stumbled into the bathroom.  "Gimme three minutes, I need to wake up more."

"Alrighty.  Your turn, Moppie."

"Don't call me that.  Its bad enough I have to deal with the bitchy one." He growled, climbing halfway up the ladder. "ToT!  Get up!"

"No.  G'way, Stage." ToT mumbled into her pillow.

"I ain't Stage.  Get up, let's go." Mop Top dragged her down from the bunk and tried to set her on her feet.  ToT just crumpled back onto the floor.  He sighed.  Mop Top went over to where the drawers were and felt around, pulling out a shirt and pants.  He went back over to where ToT was snoozing on the floor and dragged her up.  Mop Top then tried to dress her.

"Ow!  Hey, that's the sleeve!  Stop that!" ToT exclaimed, trying to get her head out of the sleeve.  "STAGE!  What're you _doing_?"

"I'm not Stage!  She's in the bathroom!" Mop Top hissed.  "We're going for a midnight raid so get dressed." 

Stage reentered the dark room and groped blindly.  She crossed the room without much problem and found her bed post.  Stage sighed silently and flopped back down on to the bed.  Except…it wasn't the bed…

"Why Stage!  I didn't know you cared." Skittles teased.  Stage turned to face him and found herself a little too close for comfort.  

"Skittles, what are you doing in my bed?"

"Making sure you don't crawl back in it."

"That isn't fair." She grumbled, sliding off the bunk and onto her rear.  "Ouch."

"Hey, we're here." Penny's voice came from the apparently open doorway.

"Skit, get a lamp, would'ya?" Mop Top called.  Skittles went back over to the door and picked up the oil lamp they had left.  He lit it.  Everyone took one look at ToT and fell into hysterical laughter.

Mop Top had mistaken her pants for her shirt and her shirt for her pants.  ToT stomped off—as well as one can walk when one's wearing their shirt for pants—and into the bathroom, planning to fix her clothes.

She came back out a little bit later.  Penny had a still-sleeping Sparkles over one shoulder.  Dottie was dead on her feet and kept swaying back and forth.  Every so often, Tag or Beamer would reach out and prevent her from falling flat on her face.

"Where's Red?" Stage asked.

"We think she might be a reversed vampire.  She was like, dead or something." Skitch replied.  "And Ivy didn't feel much like getting into trouble.  Besides, she's in that mood again.  The one where she goes on about what kind of boys may be in Manhattan."

"So anyways, lets get going before Windy wakes up." Belle stated.

"Pink fuzzy bunny go hoppity-hop." Dottie mumbled, grinning foolishly and following something that wasn't there with her finger.  Beamer leaned forward and raised an eyebrow at Tag.  Tag shrugged.  Dottie fell forward with a _thump._

And the pink fuzzy bunny hoppity-hopped away…

"What d'you suppose she had with that dinner of hers?" Beamer asked, raising his eyebrows at the now sleeping Dottie.

"Who knows."  Belle replied.

"Maybe we should just leave her here.  I mean, it wouldn't exactly look good, dragging around a seemingly lifeless body." Skittles pointed out.  

"Hey, I didn't have the top bunk…whoa, the floor's spinning." Sparkles had woken up.  "Feet?  I'm flying!"

"No, you're falling." Penny replied, dropping her. 

"Ow."

"Anyway, lets go." Belle covered Dottie with a quilt and then stepped over her.  The others snuck out of the room, shutting the door quietly behind them.

****

"What exactly are we raiding?" Sparkles whispered.

"Any and everything." Beamer replied matter-of-factly.

"And whose idea was this?" Skitch asked.

"Mop Top's," Penny, Beamer, and Skittles all said, pointing at the Greek.

"Good.  Now I'll know who to blame when we get into trouble."

"Aw, you're so pessimistic." Mop Top told her, waving a hand in a vague manner.

"No, you're too optimistic.  _Especially _at two-thirty in the morning!"

"Who isn't optimistic at two-thirty in the morning?"

"Skitch." Everyone else agreed.

"People who had a shirt for pants." ToT grumbled.

"No that was funny." Beamer grinned.

"I'd like to see you walk around in—never mind."

"Shut up.  We're nearing the restaurant car," Penny said.

"Yes, oh captain, my captain," Sparkles mumbled.  Stage dramatically snuck up to the door, flattening herself against the wall.  She peered around the corner and slunk inside.  The others followed with sighs.

"Drama queen." Belle said, flatly.

"That's why y'all call me Stage," Stage winked.  "And who're you to talk?"

"She has a point." Skitch said with a slight shrug.

"For once." Mop Top muttered.

"I's gonna soak ya, ya bum." Stage replied in an NY accent.

"Nawk it off." ToT shot back in the same accent and pushing her friend.

"You'll 'soak ya'?" Skittles asked, raising a single eyebrow.  

"Hey, we're going to Manhattan, aren't we?" Belle shrugged.

"Gotta walk da walk."  Skitch did a funny little strut.

"And tawk da tawk." Mop Top added, leaning on Skitch's shoulder.

"Too bad you suck at it." Beamer said dryly.

"Dat hoirts, Beamah…really, it does." 

"No, seriously.  Shut up." Penny said, pulling his head out from one of the cabinets.  "I've hit the jackpot, y'all."

"Ooh!  Ooh!  Whadd'ja find?" ToT bounced up.

"Shut up, ya idiot." Sparkles said, whacking her over the head.  

"Sparkles, check the ice box, huh?"

"Shoa t'ing." Sparkles replied, so far having the best NY accent.  "Ooh…roast beef, turkey, potatoes…and…ICE CREAM!" She squealed in delight.

"OOOH!  What kind?!" Skitch shoved Sparkles aside and peered in.

"No way." Stage's muffled voice floated out from the cabinet she was half in.  Skittles squeezed in beside her.  The others heard his low whistle.

"What is it?" Beamer asked, taking up the last few inches of room.  "Whoa."

"Is that legal?" Skittles asked.

"Now I have to know what this is." Belle mused.  "Anything interesting?"

"We found the liquor." Skittles told her.

"_I_ found the liquor." Stage told him.  "We've got vodka, gin, beer, champagne, tequila, schnapps, stuff for mixed drinks, and…ooh!  Vintage wine!"

"Really?" ToT exclaimed, her eyes growing large in anticipation.  "Red or white?"

"Both!  French _and_ Italian." Stage replied.

"I'll drink to that!" Mop Top grinned. "Bring the nectar of the Gods on out!"

"Mop, d'you even _know_ who the Greek god of wine is?" Skitch asked, raising her eyebrows doubtfully.

"Uh…erm…Circe?" He took a guess.  Sparkles fell over when he said that.

"One, she's a god_dess_; Two, that's the one that turned men into pigs." Sparkles told him.  Mop Top shrugged sheepishly.

"Beamer, you're going to have to move.  We're kinda stuck." Stage announced after a few minutes of struggling.

"Kinda?" Skittles muttered.  "Somebody get him out of here."

Penny grabbed Beamer's legs and yanked.  He popped out of the gap and Skittles and Stage we soon to squirm their way out as well.  Stage held armfuls of samples of every liquor in the cabinet.  Everyone watched in disbelief as she stuffed them under her suspenders, in the waist line of her pants, in her pockets and a few smaller bottles under her hat.  Those, of course, were the ones with high-alcohol content.

"Isn't that kinda cold?" Belle inquired after a long silence.

"Nah, they're all warm."

"Makes you look chunky." Mop Top commented.

"Blunt, as always.  I'll have to hide these in my room."

"In what luggage?" Penny sneered.

"The unmentionable drawer!" ToT exclaimed.

"What are those?" Skittles wondered aloud.

"Think 'bout it." Skitch replied, dryly.

"Oooh…" The four boys chorused.

"Maybe under that mattress in my bed?" Stage mused.

"I don't think that'll work." Skittles told her.

"Oh, so you got a good look when you were in it this morning, huh?"

"WHAT?!" Everyone else demanded.  Stage rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, that's right…I'm a whore." She walked out of the room.

****

After the much stuffing and sneaking and hiding of the load of extra liquor, the troupe headed up onto the top of the train.  They set out their food and sat down comfortably on the wide and barely slanted roof.

"A fest fit for a king." Penny grinned.  "A king with his many queens."

"…I'm not a queen…" Mop Top mumbled.

"And lackeys." Penny added.

"Hey!"

"I'll shove you off the train." Belle growled.  Penny stuffed his big mouth full of food—which fit amazingly in around that foot of his.  Or maybe not…

"Much to ado about nothing." Skitch grinned.  "Stage, stop hoggin' the schnapp!"

Stage took one last gulp and tossed the bottle over to Skitch.  She grinned, and took a swig of it.  Sparkles, Belle, and ToT were sharing a vintage bottle of French wine.  Stage had hoarded the Italian bottles.  Penny had a bottle of vodka to himself, Skittles had the gin, Mop Top had a bottle of beer, and Beamer was staying well out of the whole drinking matter.

After a nice feast and everyone had eaten their fill—and sufficiently intoxicated—Beamer guided them across the train one by one.  At one point, he got in a small argument with Sparkles over the matter of whether she could fly or not.

Each was put to bed and Skittles remembered through his cloudy mind to drink a few glasses of water before he passed out.  Beamer sighed and dragged himself to bed…he was going to be sore tomorrow.

****

**Closing Comments: **MANHATTAN NEWSIES!  NEXT CHAPTER Y'ALL! ****


	8. “It really isn’t what it looks like.”

**Disclaimer:  **Yadda, yadda, yadda…__

**Opening Comments: **Well, WE have no idea how long this is going to end up…or where it'll stop.  Once this is finished, tho…we shall start on _"Convicts"_, the sequel to _"Immigrants"._  Bwaha.  And the newsies make their appearance!

Shout Outs~ 

**Skitch: **XD Love the dreamscape.

**Sparkles: **Yes, I think you do out of all of us.  I really suck when I'm _trying_ to talk with a NY accent…sounds fine when it slips out on accident.  I said "Me back hoirts" to my mom on…Friday?  I can't remember…

**Silversapphire: **Thanks.  I think it was in Houston where I hit my head.  Can't remember…I was like, six.

**Dreamcoat: **Oh, yeah.  WAY~ longer.

**Princessred: **I'll see what ToT thinks of the plaid knickers…

**Title: **Miles Away****

**Authors: **Stage and ToT

****

"Alright!  Wak—ack!" Windy burst into Stage and ToT's compartment, promptly tripping over Dottie.  Dottie sat up and stretched.  She yawned.

"Morning already?" Dottie crunched up her nose.  "Ew, it _smells_ in here."

"STAGE! TOT!"

"Ow, turn it off…" ToT muttered.

"Who told the sun to shine in the middle of the night?" Stage grumbled, burying her head underneath her pillow.

"You two have been _drinking_!"

Skittles popped his head into the room, wincing.  "Windy, could you keep it down a little?  It's early in the morning."

"It's one o'clock!"

"In the morning?" Mop Top mumbled, walking by.

"You were _all_ drinking?!" 

"Well, not all of us.  Someone had to be the designated…guide…" Beamer told her.  "Ivy, Dottie, Red, Tag, Cheese, and Crackers didn't have anything.  Come on, lunch is being served."  He led the others away. 

"Ooh…who'd 've guessed wine could act so strong?" ToT complained, practically falling off her bunk.  Stage groaned from underneath her sanctuary of blankets and pillows.

"You didn't have schnapps…what're you complainin' 'bout?" She mumbled, her voice barely audible.

"It was your own fault." ToT told her.  "You and Skitch…honestly.  Sooner you get up, the sooner you can drink water, and the sooner your hangover will go away."

Stage muttered something and threw off her covers, squinting at the bright light.  She staggered into the bathroom while ToT dressed herself.

"So, who else is feeling like shit this fine afternoon?" Belle asked, walking into the room. 

"Shit…is such a _pretty_ word to describe it."

"Hm.  I just woke Sparkles up from her nap on the middle of her floor.  I haven't seen Skitch yet.  Can you imagine how awful she's feeling?  After all those shots."

"Shut up, Belle." Stage crabbed, coming out of the bathroom with clean clothes on.  "Talking about them doesn't help me to feel any better."

"We're gettin' off soon." Belle told her.  Stage mumbled something and headed for the dining car.

****

An hour later, the Chicagoans got off the train.  Most were feeling considerably better than they had when they had first woken up.  They all smiled happily at the sound of the glass bottles clinking together in their suitcases.

 "Its this way." Windy said, pointing in one direction and leading off.  She turned many corners and soon, it was quite apparent that they were lost.  "Maybe this is the turn."

The group wandered behind her.  Stage, ToT, Sparkles, and Skittles all lagged behind.  Sparkles was over her hangover, Stage was exhausted, ToT was drinking a small bottle of vodka, and Skittles was still working on becoming _completely_ sober.

"Hey, where'd the rest of them go?" Sparkles asked.

"Hey, is that them?" ToT asked, swaying a bit and pointing.  The others squinted as a group of four boys approached.

"Nah, don't think so." Skittles mumbled.

"Youse new ta Manhattan?" One with curly-brown hair asked.

"No…got here an hour ago." Stage mumbled.  The four exchanged glances and looked back at the others.

"So you're new…"

"Yes, yes we are." Sparkles told them. "Who are y'all?"

"How old are you, kid?" Asked another with an eye patch.  "Ten?"

"I'm sixteen.  And the name's Sparkles.  That's Stage, Skittles, and ToT." She replied, pointing out each of her friends.  "They had a bit too much to drink last night."

"I could tell." Said one with thick black hair.

"All right, you know who we are.  Now who are you eight?" ToT demanded, glaring as best as she could.

"Um, I'm Blink.  That's Mush, Bumblits, and Skittery." Blink said, doing as Sparkles had done.

"Who're the other four?  Twins?  I'm beginnin' to like this." ToT grinned.

"You know what they say…double your pleasure, double your fun."  Stage mumbled, stumbling.

"Are you…alright?" Skittery asked, looking at her doubtfully.

"I just had three shots of schnapps last night and you're asking me if I'm 'alright'?  I have one hell of a hangover!" She snapped.  Stage then pouted.  "Someone carry me?" She asked before falling onto the cobblestones on her rear.

"Aw, great.  Heah come da Delancy bums." Mush exclaimed.

"Those four?" Stage asked, squinting.

"I see five." ToT countered.

"I see eight." Skittles told them both.

"I see _two_." Sparkles replied.

"Well, that can't be right." ToT said before passing out.  The four Manhattan newsies looked down at her.  Blink sighed.

"I got her." He said, picking up ToT.

"What are you scum doin'?  Tryin' ta pick up goils?"  Oscar Delancy sneered.

"Already did, t'anks." Blink grinned.

"Somebody carry me." Stage whined.  

"I'll carry ya, sweet t'ing." Oscar replied.  Stage batted at his hands.

"No…you aren't pretty." She mumbled.

"Guess that qualifies me." Skittles tried to lift Stage up by her armpits but didn't have any luck.  "Maybe not.  Since when did you gain so much weight?"

"Dummy." Sparkles sighed.  She looked over at the three remaining newsies.

"Foine." They sighed.

"I don't want ta carry her…she's tallah dan me." Mush said.

"Youse da tallest, Skit." Bumblits said, elbowing Skittery.  

"No I'm not."

"Tallah dan me."

"Foine, ya bum." Skittery muttered, picking up Stage.

"SKITTLES!  SPARKLES!" Windy yelled, running up.  "Where have you been?!  Have you seen ToT or Stage?"

Sparkles pointed at the two forms held by the two Manhattan newsies.  "It really isn't what it looks like."

"Well, lets get going.  We have to find that Lodging House before dark."  Windy sighed.  "Before the filth of the streets crawl out of their holes."

"You mean like that?" Skittles pointed at the Delancy brothers.

"Ya bettah watch yerself.  We'll soak ya." Oscar snarled before turning and walking away with Morris.

"Hey, you guys know where the Newsie Lodging House is?" Skittles asked, turning to the four.  Mush and Bumblits held up their papers.

"Can you take us there?" Windy asked.

"Shoa." Mush grinned.  Sparkles put a hand to her forehead and pretended to faint.  Bumblits sighed, looked at the others, and then scooped her up.  "Now dat dat's taken care of…"

"What a pathetic display…" Skittles muttered as he trudged behind the Manhattan newsies.

****

**Closing Comments: **Bwaha.  Let the insanity begin!


	9. “Hellooo, Manhattan.”

**Disclaimer: **See other chapters…__

**Opening Comments: **Hey, hey.  This is the ninth chapter.  Compare the reviews to "Immigrants".  -.-;;; 33 vs. 59… what's wrong with you people?

Shout Outs~ 

**Sparkles: ***sigh* 

**Skitch: **You're weird anyway.

**Bam: **Mayhem you want, mayhem you'll get!

**Title: **Miles Away****

**Authors: **Stage and ToT

****

"Heah we are.  Home sweet home." Mush announced, going up the steps of the Lodging House.  Windy and the other Chicago newsies followed, exhausted.  Sparkles had fallen asleep and Stage was just nodding off.

"What'll we do wit dese?" Blink asked.

"Get 'em bunks, I suppose." Bumblits shrugged as best he could.  "You did say youse was stayin' fer good, right?"

"Yes." Windy sighed.  "Do you have an extra room and bunks that the girls could stay in?"

"I t'ink Kloppman'll be able ta come up wit sumthin'." Skittery told her.  "He's behind dat desk ovah dere.  Just ring da little bell."

 The three newsies with armfuls dumped their cargo on the floor, in a corner…where it was only semi-likely they wouldn't be stepped on or tripped over.  Sparkles woke up and yawned.  She got up and cracked her back.

"'Bout time you woke up." Dottie commented.  "Have a nice ride?"

"Indeed." She grinned, casting a glance over at Bumblits.  "_Very_ nice if I do say so myself."

Bumblits ducked his head over the guest book, trying to hide the pink color in his cheeks.  Skittery shoved his friend playfully, earning a whack in return.  Blink snickered.  Kloppman was discussing lodging arrangements with Windy.

Stage stirred and sat up.  She got to her feet with a small groan and took one look down at ToT.  Stage strolled over to join Dottie, Red, Skitch, and Sparkles.  They chatted for a bit until the door to the LH banged open and in poured the rest of the Manhattan newsies.  The girls stopped talking abruptly and gaped.

"Hellooo, Manhattan." Stage greeted them, lifting up her eyebrows.

"I didn't know NY would be _this_ good." Dottie grinned.

"Kloppman," An older one with a cowboy hat and a red bandanna sauntered over to the desk.  "Not dat I's complainin', but who are da goils?"

"Your new roommates, Jack." Kloppman sighed.  "It appears that the girls will have bunk down in your room until we get a new quarters set up for them."

"But den we wont be able ta walk 'round in our undawear." Complained Blink.

"Hey, did you hear any objections from us?" Red asked.

"I'm objecting." Mop Top grumbled.

"Oh!  They all ain't goils?" Jack asked.

"Glad you noticed." Beamer replied, dryly.  "There's only six of us, but we're here."

The Manhattan newsies dispersed throughout the downstairs of the Lodging House and began their poker games and other things.  Skitch poked Stage in the back and whispered something in her ear.  She pointed over at two newsies with glasses.

****

"Hey, Specs…does two Chicago goils are lookin' dis way." Dutchy mumbled out the corner of his mouth.  Specs looked out the corner of his eye and sure enough, Dutchy was right.  He looked back over at his friend.

"Maybe dey ain't." Specs suggested.

Dutchy glared at him.  "Stop bein' so timid, ya idiot."

"I's not timid…just…resoirved."

"Resoirved?  Fer what?" He demanded.  "Look, dey's comin' dis way."

"Hide me."

"Aw, cut it out!"

"Hello." The one with strawberry-blonde hair greeted them.  Dutchy stood up and took his hat off.

"Hey dere.  I's Dutchy.  Dis is me friend, Specs." Dutchy said.  Specs didn't say anything and Dutchy kicked him.

"Ouch!" He exclaimed.  Dutchy glared down at him and Specs stood up, too.

"I'm Skitch and this is Stage." The blonde said, nodding towards the brunette.  Stage gave a little wave in Specs' direction.  

"I'm gay." He blurted.  Dutchy turned sharply to look at him with a great amount of surprise.  Skitch raised her eyebrows and Stage blinked several times before exchanging glances with Skitch.

"No you ain't." Dutchy said.

"Yes, I am." 

"Since when?"

"Since—since—a while!"

"What _is_ it with you and gay guys?" Skitch asked, looking over at her friend.

"How am I supposed to know?" Stage sputtered.  Dutchy sighed, grabbed Specs by an arm, and dragged him away.

"Where d'you suppose they're going?" Skitch asked. 

Stage shrugged.  "To find a closet?"

"Dose two ain't gay." A short Italian spoke up from around his cigar and looked up from his poker game.

"But, he just said—"

The boy chuckled.  "Specs just gets noivous 'round goils."

"Aw!  That's so cute!" Stage exclaimed.

"What is it with you and quiet guys?" Skitch asked.

"Stop asking me questions like that."

"You stop."

"I'm not doing anything."

"Sorry 'bout that, goils." Dutchy said, walking back up to them.  "Specs says stupid t'ings when he's tired.  Ain't dat right, Specsie?" 

"Don't call me that." Specs muttered, glaring.

"So," Skittles walked up and put one elbow on Skitch's shoulder and the other on Stage's.  "You girls wanna tell me what these Manhattan boys have that I don't have?"

"Sexy accents." Stage said with a nod.  Dutchy and Specs turned scarlet at her comment. 

"The same eye color in both eyes?" Skitch asked.

"I thought it was sexy." Skittles pouted.

"Aw, it is sexy." Stage replied, ruffling his hair.  "Now go wreak some havoc, huh?  Show 'em all what you're made of."

Skittles all but skipped off and Dutchy looked over at Stage with a questioning look.

"Are you…seeing him?"

"You're joking, right?" Stage asked in disbelief.  "I've lived in the same _house_ as that boy and you're asking me if I'm _seeing_ him?"

"I see your point."

"So, Dutchy." Skitch began, edging closer to him.  "What do you like to do after you're done selling papes?" 

"Why don't I's show youse?  I'll give ya the grand tour." He grinned, offering his arm.  Skitch took it and he led the way out of the room.

"How's Chicago?" Specs asked after an awkward pause.  Stage crinkled her nose.

"Big, smelly, and full of meat."

****

"So where do you sell, Bumblits?" Sparkles asked the newsie who was sitting cross-legged next to her.

"'Round and 'bout.  Nevah in da same spot." He answered.  "Gets kinda borin' going ta da same place evahyday.  If youse knows what I mean."

"Yeah.  How long you been in this place?"

"I dunno.  Since I was about ten.  Not much to tell…I was orphaned and came heah.  Got me a job as a newsie, been heah evah since.  What about you?"

"I think I was around eleven.  I lost my parents while we were in Chicago, never saw them again.  I was a newsie there until the Mayor kicked us out of our Lodging House."  Sparkles giggled.  "Wait 'till he gets the train bill.  We ate a whole lot and raided the kitchen last night.  Stage located the liquor supply."

"Is dat why dat ToT was so tipsah taday?"

"Yeah."

"Ooops!" Beamer exclaimed, running into Sparkles and "accidentally" pushing her into Bumblits.  "So sorry, didn't see you there!"  He ran off.

"I'll come after you, Beamer!"  Sparkles yelled after him.

****

"I win again.  Pay up, boys." Belle grinned as she laid down her cards.  The boys groaned as she scooped up their money.  "Who wants to play again?  No more takers?  What are you!  Men or mice?"

"Squeak, squeak!" Itey piped up.  Race whacked him on the head.

"I's goin' wit 'mice' too." Snoddy agreed.  Swifty nodded.

"Looks as t'ough youse found someone who can actuallah beat ya, Race." Crutchy grinned. 

"No one beats me at pokah.  I's callin' for a rematch." Race replied.  Belle shrugged and accepted the dealt cards.

"Its your funeral." She responded.  The newsies who had been in the game before started humming a slow funeral march.  Race glared at all of them and puffed impatiently on his cigar.

****

"Any of you two ladies evah been ta Santa Fe?" Jack asked, looking at Dottie and Red.  Dottie glared slightly at him, but Red beamed.

"No, I haven't…what's it like?"

"Well, eveaht'ing's biggah dere…" Jack began, getting a faraway look.  Dottie snorted and rolled her eyes.

"That can be taken several ways." She muttered to herself.

"…the sun, the sky…"

"That's because they aren't blocked out by huge buildings like the ones you've got here in New York."

"Naw, its definitely biggah."

"You're an idiot."

"So, anyway…what else?" Red asked, cutting off the argument before it started.

"Well, you can see the stars spahkle brightah…and dere's miles of flat land." Jack said, thinking hard.

"I don't have to listen to this." Dottie mumbled, walking off to find something more interesting to do.  She eventually settled down to watch the poker game going on between Race and Belle—who had won five times straight.

****

Penny looked around boredly.  He sighed and leaned back against the wall.  Penny looked over at the shorter newsie next to him. 

"Mush, is it?  What do you guys do for fun?  Any girls around here?" He asked.

"Youse gotta look for 'em." Mush shrugged.  "Why d'you t'ink all the boys were t'rilled when dey walked in and hoid dey's got nine goahgeous roommates?"

"You wouldn't think that if you lived with them." Penny muttered.  Mush chuckled.  "So what's the deal over here for getting up late?"

"Deal?"

"Yeah.  If you oversleep."

"We ain't got no deal."

"Oh.  Mop Top'll be disappointed.  Windy used to dump water from Lake Michigan on us…Mop Top got it everyday, helped him wake up more." Penny shook his head.  "What an idiot."

"D'you think I'm sexy?" Skittles asked, walking up.  Mush visibly faltered at the question and Penny rolled his eyes.

"Why don't you ask Stage about that?"

"Shes busy."

"Busy?  With who?"

"With that one." Skittles replied, jerking his head back to where Stage was doing her best to keep a conversation going with Specs.  "ToT's asleep…Dottie's crabby…Sparkles is plotting a scheme…and Red scares me."

"Yo, Stage!" Penny yelled across the room.  "Where's Skitch?"

"You don't want to know!" She hollered back.

****

"Seems everyone is getting along pretty well." Mop Top commented looking around at all the newsies.

"Shoa.  What'd you expect?" Blink asked.

"Nevermind." Mop Top replied.  "You don't want to know what happens when _some_ of us are plotting and scheming.  It never turns out good.  Heck, we raided the kitchen on the train and Stage found the liquor right away.  Then she got stuck in the cabinet with Skittles and Beamer…" 

"She got _stuck_ in the cabinet?"

"Well, they both wanted to see…then the liquor was dispersed.  We all had some God-awful hangovers this morning." Mop Top grinned.  "Who knew you could get such a hangover after sharing a bottle of vintage wine with two others."

"You had wine?"

"No, not me.  I had gin.   Speaking of which, I wonder if Stage has any of those bottles stashed." He got up and left Blink standing by himself.

"Great.  The Chicagoans are all drunks."

****

"What's wrong with her?" Cheese asked, prodding the crumpled form of ToT who groaned and made a half-hearted swat.

"I don't know.  Think she's dead?" Crackers asked fearfully.

"Maybe." Cheese shrugged.  He brightened and grinned broadly.  "Think Windy will let us have her bunk?"

"Cheese," Crackers whined.  "That isn't very nice."

"Alright, scram ya little monsters." Ivy said, walking up and pushing them away.  They skipped off towards where Snipeshooter and Boots were talking.  Ivy looked down at the pitiful ToT and sighed.  She bent over and dragged up ToT, supporting half of her weight.

"Ehhhh…" ToT moaned.  "I'm never ever drinking again…"

"Oh, right.  You know you will." Ivy scolded.  "Come on, I'll help you up to the bunkroom."

****

**Closing Comments: ** I think that this is one of the more longer chapters…


	10. “What's it doing in my bed?”

**Disclaimer:  **Blah…__

**Opening Comments: **WOO!  We broke double-digits!  On a sadder note (sort of, depends on how you look at it…), Red hast lost thy fic privileges.  If anyone saw the review she left…you know why.  In any case, I took her lines and divided them up.

**SHOUT OUTS TO ALL~!**

Waaaah, you guys really love those dialogues.  And us!  You love us!  And we love you!  So leave us a review… XD  This fic has up to 14 chapters now…likely it'll hit 17.  Who knows and stay tuned!

**Title: **Miles Away****

**Authors: **Stage and ToT

****

"Alright, listen up!" Kloppman yelled over the chatter.  "We don't have a room big enough or ready for the girls to stay in, so you boys with have to share yours."

A massive silence followed the sentence.

"In the same bunks?" Boots asked incredulously. 

"Oh, I hope not…" Dottie muttered, wrinkling her nose.  "Men smell."

"So Specs…" Stage said, looking over at the other newsie.  "Since you're gay, wanna share a bunk?"

Specs' face flushed bright red.  Race looked up—very grumpy, might I add—from the poker game he was yet again loosing.  Belle also glanced up and—taking one look at Specs—turned to Stage.

"Stop embarrassing the poor boy, Stage."

"But its fun…" She whined.

"No, it will _not_ be the same bunk!" Windy cut in.  "Mr. Kloppman says he has some extras in the attic for just this kind of emergency.  Manhattan, I want you to go upstairs and make room for eight more bunks."

The Manhattan newsies looked at each other, sighed, and tromped up the stairs.  Upon entering, they moved the bunks over and closer together—if at all possible—and found a way to squeeze in just enough.  Kloppman brought the bunks down with Windy's help and the Chicagoans quickly chose their own.  

Each of the girls and guys chose their 'bunkmates' so to speak.  It was the usual:  Stage and ToT; Ivy and Dottie; Belle and Sparkles; Cheese and Crackers; Beamer and Penny; Skittles and Mop Top; and Skitch was—by default—on a bunk with Tag.  

"So…whatever happened to Skitch?" Dottie asked, looking around.  "Did she just fall off the face of the Earth, or something?"

"Probably." Beamer muttered, hopping up onto the top bunk.  Penny looked annoyed at him through a black eye.  Beamer had fought him for it.

"Rock, paper, scissors!" Belle and Sparkles chanted.  Sparkles cheered over her winning rock, Belle had taken scissors.  Dottie had just snatched up the top before Ivy could and was now perched triumphantly on her bed.

"Wasn't she with you two for awhile?" Dottie pressed further, looking down at Stage who was _still_ trying to have a conversation with Specs.  Specs wasn't too happy with the fact that her bunk had ended up next to his.

"Wait, you don't snore…do you?" Stage asked.

"Dutchy talks in his sleep." Specs informed her.  She grinned and raised her eyebrows.

"Can't be worse than ToT." Stage laughed.  "I tend to snore if I have a cold, so…fair warning."

"Speaking of the little she-devil," Sparkles began, leaning over her bunk.  "Where'd she disappear to?"

"I took her up here and put her in a bunk," Ivy replied, looking around and obviously puzzled.  "But they're all moved around now…I don't know which I left her in.  Oops."

"Looks like we'll have to search for her." Dottie muttered.

"Hey!  What's this in my bunk?!"

"…Or not…"

Belle got up and walked over to the newsie who had spoken, Snipeshooter.  She looked over his shoulder and into his bunk.  

"That, _mon ami_, is an intoxicated Chicagoan."

"What's it doing in my bed?"

"Why are you complainin', Snipes?  Ya foinally got a goil in yer bed." Jack joked, clapping his hand on Snipes' shoulder.  The other newsies laughed.

"I'll just be taking this." Belle replied, dragging ToT over to their side of the bunkroom.  She; with the help of Dottie, Sparkles, and Stage; successfully hoisted ToT into her rightful bunk.

"Oh!  Stage!" Mop Top snapped his fingers.  "Where are all those bottles you stashed?"

"That's for me to know and you to never find out." Stage replied, matter-of-factly.  "I've entrusted them to responsible drinkers…well, most of them at least."

"Why don't ya say we crack open a vintage bottle to celebrate our arrival here?" Skittles asked, looking expectant.  Stage glared.

"You ain't laying a _finger_ on my Italian Vintage!" 

"You have _Italian Vintage_?!" Racetrack demanded, looking excited.  "What year?"

"Mm…1650?" Stage guessed, she hadn't really memorized the date.  Racetrack fell off his bunk.  He stood up, clasped his hands together, looked up, and thanked—what most thought—the ceiling.

"Stage, youse me new best friend."

"Aren't I special." She grinned before flopping back to her bed.  "Bedtime for me."

"It's only seven o'clock." Snitch mumbled.

"What time do we get up?"

"Five-thirty."

"REALLY?!" Every one of the Chicago newsies exclaimed.

"We get a whole extra hour of sleep!"

"This is so cool!"

"YAY!"

"I rest my case." Stage replied, getting underneath the covers.  "Wake me up when Skitch gets back, will ya?  I'll have to interrogate her."

"Intero-what?" Skittery asked.

"Interrogate.  Meaning we're going to question her fully." Sparkles answered.

"Are you _ever_ going to tell me where she is?  Or just ignore me and keep talking with four eyes down there?" Dottie demanded.

"I resent that." Specs growled.

"No, you _represent _that."

"I didn't really think you wanted to know where the little wench ran off to," Stage began.  "But she ran off with Dutchy."

" 'Dutchy'?" Skittles spoke up.  "What the hell kinda name is that?!"

"Uh, he's Dutch…" Specs replied.

"Oh.  Carry on."

"Who's Dutchy?" Belle asked, brightening a little.  "Is he cute?"

"Eh." Stage replied.  "Not as cute as this one." She pointed at Specs, who blushed.  Again.

"Stage…" Belle began.

"Sorry."

"Where'd they go?" Tag piped up.

"Probly ta foind a closet." Blink chuckled.

"Why would they want to find a closet?  Did Skitch spill something?" Tag inquired, innocently.  The Manhattan newsies exchanged glances.

"Don't corrupt him." Ivy glared.  "He's the only one who isn't."

"And he's like, fifteen." Dottie added.

"Best record we've had since Baygel came along." Penny mumbled.  "Too bad it was spoiled when he was twelve." He glared at Sparkles, who tried her best to look sweet and innocent.  Which she was anything but.

"Boys," Kloppman said, poking his head into the room.  "And girls.  Just for tonight, until we work out an agreement, lights will be out in one hour.  Get ready for bed now."

There were a few outbursts and grumbles, but they did as they were told.  Skitch and Dutchy slipped in ten minutes after the lights had been turned off.  They both stopped and looked around at the re-arranged bunks.

"Psst!  Specs!  Where are ya?" Dutchy called.

"Ovah heah ya idiot." Specs muttered.  Dutchy trotted over and swung himself up onto the top bunk, shaking the whole set up.  Specs muttered something else and put his pillow over his head.

"Hey…Dottie?  ToT?  Sparkles?  Stage?" Skitch asked, walking around.

"Skitch!  Come here!" Stage hissed.  Skitch came back over.  

"Am I sharin' a bunk with you?" 

"No.  You're three over, bottom bunk.  Tag's on top."

"Fabulous." Skitch muttered, finding her bunk and lying down.  "See y'all in the morning."

****


	11. The Great Clothing Swap

**Disclaimer:  **You've got it by now.__

**Opening Comments: **Can you believe that we still have NOT finished this thing?  Stupid school.

**Skitch:** You're on sugar, aren't you?

**Bam: ** Don't take offense to this…but I can't believe that you'd want to…

**Mushtumblr: **Ah, the shouts of reviewers…

**Princessred_:  _**_::guesses.::_ "I love newsies"?

**Hush: **_::smacks with board::_ PATIENCE!

**Title: **Miles Away****

**Authors: **Stage and ToT

****

"Sell the papes!  Sell the papes!" Kloppman bellowed, going from bunk to bunk, waking up the slackers.  He avoided the Chicagoan's side of the room, that was Windy's area of expertise.  She soon came trudging up the stairs, a bucket in each hand.

Windy headed for Mop Top's bunk, every Manhattan eye watching her.  She stopped and lifted up the bucket, dumping it over the Greek with a bit of a sigh.  Mop Top sat up, shook over his hair and grinned at her.

"Good morning!" He grinned, hopping off his bunk.  The other newsies looked at each other and agreed silently.  Chicago was _nuts_.  Still shaking their heads, they all headed into the bathroom and went about their daily routine.

"'Morning y'all!" Belle exclaimed, walking into the bathroom.  Every newsie saw her and froze in their position.  Some had been caught in the middle of shaving, drying their face, combing their hair, or coming out of the dressing rooms.  Belle was standing in a large shirt and underwear.

"What's the matter?  Ain't y'all ever seen a girl before?" She asked.

"Maybe not a French one!" Stage's voice yelled from the other room.

"Morning Belle." ToT grumbled, stumbling into the bathroom and fully dressed. 

"It is aliiiiive." Beamer said in his best sinister voice as he followed her in.  He stopped, looked at Belle, looked at the Manhattan newsies, and walked out.  "That's disgusting."

"What's disgusting?" Penny asked, poking his head in to see.  The others still were unbroken in their drooling trance.  "Oh.  Its not like you don't do that." 

"ME?!  When do I do that?!  That's YOU!" 

"No, its not!"

"And they're off." Dottie mumbled, pulling up her suspenders as she walked by the bathroom.  "Anyone care to place a bet?"

"A bet?" Race snapped out of his trance quickly.

"All right!  Who's pants are these?!" Sparkles demanded, holding up a pair of brown pants high above her head.

"Yours?" Mop Top guessed.

"They go up to my _shoulders_!" She snapped.  Blink walked over and took the pants from her.  He peered inside at the inseam.

"Mush, dese are yours." Blink announced.  Mush looked down at his—or rather, Sparkles' pants—and grinned sheepishly.

"I t'ought dey was a litta short taday." He said, taking his own pants and changing in one of the stalls.  Coming out, he gave Sparkles' her pants.

"Thank you." She sniffed, walking back out into the main room.

"Uh, guys?" Stage came in next, arms inside her sleeves.  "This isn't my shirt." She said, flailing her arms and the extra three inches flapping.  "And either I lost about ten pounds last night, or these are the wrong pants."  Stage added, looking down at the pants that were only being held up by her suspenders.

"I t'ink I got da solution ta yer shoirt problem." Specs said, pulling off the one he was wearing.  "Dis ones yours."

Stage quickly changed, thinking of how much she loved undershirts.  "OK, now the pants.  Who has my pants?"

"Me!" Dutchy called, tossing the mentioned item across the room.  Catching them, Stage swapped and threw Dutchy back his pants.

"Wow," Blink grinned.  "Who'da t'ought dat Stage would get inta Dutchy's pants befoir Skitch?"

The bathroom burst out in laughter whilst Stage turned a pink color.  She turned and stormed out of the bathroom, now having possession of her right clothing.  Dottie watched her go by with a puzzled expression as she entered the bathroom next.

"Alright, who has my shoes and suspenders?"

"Hey!  That's my hat!"

"What are you doing with my socks?"

"Those aren't yours…"

Everyone began to realize faults with their clothing and discovered that it wasn't all theirs.  And the Great Clothing Swap began…in other words, all hell broke loose.   The newsies all switched their clothing; tossing pants, shirts, suspenders, and shoes through the air.

"What is going on?!" Windy and Kloppman both shouted when they burst into the bathroom.  All activity froze.

"We're having a bit of a clothing problem." Skittles told her slowly, trying to look dignified with suspenders on his head.

"Y'all are going to be late to the Distribution Office, if you don't hurry up and finish getting ready." Kloppman told them, trying (and failing) to hide the amusement in his voice.  The others all looked at each other, then back to Kloppman.  They grinned.

"Alright!  Everyone got their right clothes?" Penny yelled.

"Yeah!"

"Got 'im."

"T'anks."

"Lets get goin', huh?" Jack shouted.  The others cheered, ran out of the bathroom, and down the stairs.  Once on the lower level, the mass burst out of the Lodging House and into the streets.

****


	12. Struttin' Their Stuff On the Streets

**Opening Comments: **We're nearing the end, my friends…sort of, anyways.  And I know that a lot of the songs that Beamer sings are pre-1899, but its not like you can just go out and buy a CD from that era.

Shout Outs~ 

**Lizzy: **They just did…I don't know. ^^

**Skitch: **Oh yes…the pants thing.  O.o Would you believe that I came up with that? XD  There are *so* many jokes I put in at my own expense.

**Dreamcoat:** :D Bwaha, that's in this chapter.

**Killersabinx:** o.O Really?  I wonder if that's good or not. XD

**Mushtmblr:** Us?  Make you wait? Never.

**Title: **Miles Away****

**Authors: **Stage and ToT

****

"So, uh…" Dottie looked around outside of the Lodging House.  "Where's your distribution office?"

"This is why you're following us." Blink told her, leading the way down the cobble stoned street.  Tag jumped in front of Blink and grinned.

"Now you're following me."

"Whatever, kid."

"I thought _you_ were Kid."

"Shut up!" 

"Can't make meeee!" Tag said in a sing-song voice, skipping to the back of the group.  Blink stared after him for a moment before turning to Skittles.  

"_How_ old is he?!"

"Fifteen." Skittles replied, dully.  "Let's continue our trek, shall we?"

"Let the odyssey begin!" Mop Top exclaimed, pushing through the two and taking on a dramatic pose.  

"Mop, who wrote _The Odyssey_?" Ivy asked.

"Nobody knows that, woman!"

"False, _boy._" ToT snapped.  

"_The Iliad, The Odyssey, _and_ The Aneiad _were all written by Homer." Stage muttered, walking by.  Mop Top shrugged and once again, they started to walk.  Well, the Mahanttaners walked and the Chicagoans followed in their own special way.

****

"Heah we are." Jack said, walking through the gates of the DO.  The others followed, the Chicago newsies looking unimpressed.  Jack skipped the first and third step up onto the platform and banged on the shutters.

After a few minutes, a muttering man opened the shutters.  He was dumpy with an unshaven face and a mean sneer.  Next to him were the two Delancy brothers whom Sparkles, Stage, Skittles, and ToT had "met" the day before.  

"Youse multiplied." Weasel muttered.  "Great."

"Ehy!  Oscar, dat's da one who called you not prettah da day befoir." Morris exclaimed, pointing at Stage.  She looked at him funny.

"What are you—OOH!  Right.  I was asleep on my feet…I remember." Stage grinned.  She then looked over at Oscar and frowned. "But you _ain't_ pretty."

"Truth hoirts." Skittery snickered.

"Hundred papes." Jack said, dropping the appropriate coin onto the counter.  Weasel gave him his papes, like every other morning and the line moved along relatively quickly.  Soon it was the newcomers turns.

"Look at that…the leader's the only one who broke triple digits." Ivy said, surprise in her voice.  "I thought New York was known for its papers."

Manhattan proceeded to ignore them.

"Hm," Dottie bit her lip in thought.  "Give me…hundred-fifty."

"What?!" Everyone from Manhattan exclaimed.

"Only?!" Chicago yelled at the same time.  Dottie gave a sheepish and apologetic grin to her friends.

"Dottie, you have to stop being so conservative." Sparkles muttered as she walked up.  "Four hundred, please."

"Three hundred."

"Same here."

"Hundred."

"Two-fifty."

With each number, Manhattan slowly became more and more shocked.  These people were crazier than they had first thought!  Not even Jack Kelly and Spot Conlon _combined_ could pull off such a feat.

"Three hundred, forty-two." Mop Top grinned through the bars.

"Mop Top, you can't pull dat heah." Racetrack told him.

"Why not?"

"Dey can't count."

"It's my lucky number!  So gimme my papers before I come in there and break your nose in!" He bellowed through the bars.  Oscar, Morris, and Weasel all jumped backwards; taken completely off-guard.  After getting his papers, Mop Top grinned and left.

"We'll split twenty." Cheese and Crackers chorused.

"Five hundred, my good man!" Belle grinned, putting down her money.

After the D.O. was cleaned plumb out—for once—the Chicago newsies joined up with Manhattan.  The others stared as they shuffled through their papers in bunches of hundreds.  Seeing the looks they were getting, Chicago looked at each other.

"Youse guys'll nevah sell all does." Jack commented.

"Sure we will." Ivy replied.

"Yeah.  You've never seen us in action." Tag added, hoisting his papers onto a shoulder.  "Shall we show them what we can do?"

****

The girls had no problem selling their papers.  After all, it was new for Manhattan to have pretty girls selling 'The World'.  A few were even asked to dinner by some men who bought their papers.  They said neither yes nor no, using their feminine deceit.

****

Penny stood in the middle of Central Park, surrounded by girls.  Aging from ten to twenty.  He smooth-talked his way into selling most of his papers that way, causing many to blush at his smiles or winks.  A few actually fainted.

"Overreacting girls." Belle muttered, walking by.  "Watch it, Penny…you might kill a few."

"What about you?"

"NO!"

****

Skittles was almost the same way.  Almost, he was not quite as good as Penny was with the ladies.  He even tried a stand-up comedy routine to sell a few.  Skittles was just slightly intimidating with the piercing gaze and gold earring.

One thing that he was particularly good at (and was successful in paper-selling) were his impressions.  Skittles one of the six newsies that were born for the stage—no pun intended.

****

Beamer was…well, Beamer.

"Hello, my dear lady.  Will you buy a paper if I sing for you?" He asked, taking off his cap and sweeping a low bow to the lady in her thirties who had just approached.

"Well, alright young man."

" 'I'm gettin' married in the morning.  Ding, dong; the bells are gonna ring…' " He started off with a song from "My Fair Lady".

A crowd had soon gathered around Beamer, buying his papers and giving out tips for his fabulous singing.  Beamer was one of the top sellers from Chicago and moving just meant a whole new audience.

****

Mop Top was a newsie of strategy.   He moved to certain places at certain times whereupon he knew there was a high demand for papers.  Mop Top always found a way to sell his papers, through trickery or fast-talking…it _always _happened.

****

Tag was a mystery.  No one could ever figure out how he managed to sell off all his papers.  The Chicagoans had long given up figuring out his strategy and just settled for it being 'a gift'.  [A/N: In other words, we couldn't think of anything…]

****

Cheese and Crackers.  Two adorable twins.  Do we really need to say anymore?

****

The Chicagoans gathered back at the DO around three o'clock, completely done and _very_ confused on where their new Manhattan friends were.  What was _keeping_ them?

"So where are the others?" Skitch asked.

"They're still out selling." Ivy informed her.

"Wow.  They sure are slow."

"Jack!  Hey, Jack!" A voice yelled from behind them.

"Hottie, three o'clock." Dottie whispered.  ToT spun around.

"Whoa.  No kidding."

"JACK!  Why's ya ignorin' me?" He yelled.  Penny turned around to see what all the commotion was about.

"You talking to me?" He asked.

"Uh, where's Jack?"

"I ate him," Penny replied, looking down at the boy.  "And I'll eat you too!   FEE FI FO FUM!"

"Alright, Penny…that's enough." Belle said.  Penny immediately shut up.  "So who're you?"

"I's Spot."

"Yeah, that's what you look like from up here." Penny said, crossing his arms and turning up his nose.  Belle punched his arm and he stopped.  Obeying her every command like a faithful little puppy.

"I's da leadah of Brooklyn.  I run da Brooklyn newsies." Spot told them.

"Can I help?" Dottie asked.

"Maybe." Spot grinned at her.  Dottie almost fell over had Sparkles not elbowed her sharply.

"You're looking for Jack?" Skitch asked.

"Yeah.  Ya seen 'im?"

"He's still out sellin'." Stage said.  "We're the new newsies from Chicago."

"Why ain't ya out sellin'?"

"We're all done." Belle replied, shrugging.

"Uh, yeah.  Alright."

"Ehy, Spot!" Jack shouted, walking up.  He and Spot spit into their hands and shook.  "What're ya doin' on dis side o' da bridge?"

"Just came fer a visit." Spot shrugged.

"I see you met our newest membahs."  Jack nodded towards the group.  "Where's your papes?"

"We're done."

"We've _been_ done."

"For this being your city, you guys sure are slow."

"You ain't done!" Jack exclaimed.  "You took t'ree hundred papes each!"

"Hey, I took five hundred." Belle raised an eyebrow at him.

"WHAT?!" Spot exclaimed.  "Wow, youse shoa know how ta pick 'em, Jack."

"Hey, hey.  He didn't pick _us._" ToT said, making a time-out sign.

"We're here of our own free will…well, and the Mayor of Chicago's." Stage added as an afterthought.  "Kinda got kicked out, but ya'know…"

"I t'ink you should have a celebration of deir sellin', Jackie-boy." Spot suggested.

"I like the way this guy thinks!" Skittles exclaimed.

"Good thing we saved those extra bottles!" Mop Top grinned.

"I say we go help the others to move along their selling!" Beamer said, jumping up from his seat on the curb.  The Chicagoans cheered and scattered in all directions.

"Like I said, ya shoa know how ta pick 'em." Spot said, watching them disappear with raised eyebrows.

****


	13. Breaking Out the Alcohol...Again.

**Opening Comments: **WOO!  We broke double-digits!  On a sadder note (sort of), Red hast lost thy fic privileges.  If anyone saw the review she left…you know why.  In any case, I took her lines and divided them up.

**Title: **Miles Away

**Silversapphire: **Wait for the next chapters of "Convicts"?

**Killersabinx:** Acid?  Nuh uh.  We's just…us…'nough said, eh?

**Authors: **Stage and ToT

****

It was five o'clock and all the newsies—_all _of them—were back at the Lodging House, upstairs and chattering away.  Spot had gone back to Brooklyn to bring some of his own newsies along and picked up Hush from Queens along the way.

Hush was Mush's girl with brown hair and brown eyes.  She was a bit on the short side, but taller than Sparkles.  Then again, everyone was taller than Sparkles.  Hush was around Mush whenever she got the chance.

"Break out the bottles!  It's time to celebrate!" 

"PARTAH!"

"WOO!"

The Chicagoans ran to their trunks and dug out their amounts of stashed liquor.  Stage pulled out one of her vintage bottles and yanked out the cork.  She handed it over to Racetrack, allowing him to have the first taste.

"Dis is fantastic!" He exclaimed, wiping his mouth on his sleeve.  Racetrack took another swig before passing it along.

"Toss some of dat ovah heah!"

"Any gin?"

"Pass da schnapps!"

"Isn't there any vodka left?"

"EHY!" Jack bellowed above all the requests.  They all fell silent.  "Heah's ta da amazin' sellin' day by da Chicagoan Newsies!"

"I'll drink ta dat!"

"Heahs ta Chicago!"

****

ToT giggled madly as she attempted to walk over to where the others were sitting in a circle.  She stumbled over her own feet and toppled right into Penny's arms.  ToT stopped giggling for a moment and looked up at Penny.

"Hey, you're cute!" She said before bursting into another fit of giggles. 

"You think so?"

"Yeah."

"Ain't dat pathetic?" Spot asked, his arm clumsily around an also giggling Dottie.  "Dat ain't da way ta deal wit women." He said, pointing a finger at Penny and ToT.

"Yeah, ya gotta take 'em dancin'." Bumblits said, pulling up Sparkles.  He twirled and dipped her.  Sparkles giggled and clutched his arms, preventing herself from fall down backwards.

"Gotta sweet-talk 'em." Specs added, putting his arm on Stage's shoulder and giving her a knowing smirk.  Stage crinkled up her nose at his very powerful breath.  She waved a hand in front of her face before grinning and pushing him back.

"Can't sweet talk any girls with _that_ breath." Stage commented.

"Sing to the ladies, treat 'em nice." Beamer put in, tipping his glass at a girl who had come over with the group of Brooklynites.  " 'Pretty woman, walkin' down the street…'" He sang. She giggled and blushed, turning away.  Her boyfriend glared at Beamer who simply smiled pleasantly. 

"An' tuck 'em in at night." Jack finished, scooping Belle up into his arms.  Walking over to her bunk, Jack meant to drop her in but he lost his balance and toppled in after her.  The whole room burst into laughter at their folly.

The entire bunk room—excluding Tag, Cheese, Crackers, Snipeshooter, and Boots who had been escorted out by Beamer—was flat out drunk.  It was also in a bit of chaos.  Skitch and Dutchy were "busy" in a corner; Skittles and Ivy were sneaking kisses and yet being blatantly obvious about it; and Mop Top was drowning shots of tequila.  He had just swallowed his third shot when he started to look a little green.

"Moppie…d'you think you should be drinkin' that much?" Stage asked, looking as concerned as she could being smashed.

"Don't matter.  My life sucks." He muttered, reaching for the bottle to refill his empty shot glass.  Beamer reached over, snatched the bottle, and held it out of Mop Top's reach.  Mop Top made a dive for the shorter newsie.  Beamer jumped up, jogged over to the window, opened it, and threw the bottle out it.

"Is there _anymore_ tequila in this building?" He asked, looking around.

"You just threw the last bottle out the window." Belle told him.  She strolled up and handed him a bottle of gin.  Beamer looked down at it, then back up at Belle.  "Go on, have some.  Good stuff."

"Well…alright." Shrugging, Beamer took a swig.  And there by sealed his fate.  

"Come on," ToT whined, punching Mop Top's arm.  He looked at her indignantly and rubbed his arm where she had delivered the blow.  "Tell us what's wrong."

"Ya'll laugh at me."

"Naw."

"We wont!"

"Come on!"

"Spill!"

"The girl I like doesn't even look my way." Mop Top grumbled, sulky now because Beamer had thrown his tequila out the bunkroom window.

"Who's dat?" Hush asked, curiously.

"I ain't telling.  Its stupid."

"Its not if you love her." ToT said, kindly.

"Whoa, no more of that stuff for you!" Sparkles exclaimed, leaning forward and grabbing ToT's bottle of liquor.  "You've had way too much!"

"She's right, d'ough." Spot shrugged.  He poked Mop Top to get his attention.  "Go tell who evah it is.  She desoirves ta know."

"'Sides," Skittery put in.  "Youse a good-lookin' fella."

"There's an age difference." Mop Top informed them.

"By how much?" Race asked.

"Two years."

"Dat ain't bad." He mused.

"'Course you wouldn't t'ink dat, Race!" Itey laughed.  "You an' Medda!"

Racetrack flushed.  "I don't like her!  Dat woman's nutsy!"

"I probly shoulda warned ya 'bout dat." Jack said.  "She's goes aftah a guy she likes, age is no mattah ta her."

"Back to Mop's problem!" Hush called above the noise.  

"Who's the goil?" Blink wanted to know as he hung upside-down from his bunk.

"It's Windy." Mop Top mumbled.

****

**Closing Comments: **How many of you saw THAT coming?!  BWAHAHAHAHA!!


	14. Confession of a Lovesick Greek

**Shout Outs~**

**Willow: **^^;; You'll see in the next 2 chapters

**SwedishGirl:** _::looks at plot line::_  Oops…

**Princessred:** Yeah, that's what I (Stage) think too…buy hey, she chose the name.

**Silversapphire: **Eh? O.o

**Ladybug:** Wait, I thought Homer and Virgil wrote separate thingys…or at least that's the conclusion I came to when my English teacher brought it up.  Then again, she needs to brush up on her Greek mythology.  I (Stage again) ended up talking to the class about how Aphrodite indirectly started the Trojan War.  Did I say pre?  I did mean post…whoops.  And…what was it?  Oh!  Ehy is pronounced like you're saying the letter 'a'. 

****

"Whoa," Stage's eyes sparkled with evil thoughts of mischief-making.  "No way.  You like Windy?  That's so cute!"

"Adorable!"

"So that's why you were always the last one up!"

"Youse sly, Mop."

"You _have_ to tell her!"

"Yeah!"

"Go on, Moppie.  She's downstairs!"

"Kloppman ain't around, eithah!"

"But…what if…what if…" Mop Top started to protest.

"The worst she can say is 'no'." Ivy cut him off.

"Yeah, exactly!" [1] He replied, seriously.  "Besides, she'll think its 'cause I've been drinking.  Windy wont take me seriously, she never does."

"Don't think like that!" Belle insisted, whacking Mop Top a little harder than intended.  "You gotta hold your head up high!  Now go down their and sweep her off her feet!"

"But—"

"NOW!"

"Belle—"

"I'll kick your ass if you stay up here and mope."

"I've already been smacked, punched, and poked.  Ya'll are abusive, ya know that?" Mop Top grumbled as he got to his feet.  He swayed for a moment before shaking his head and heading for the doorway.  Mop Top missed the door, walking straight into the wall.  He backed up, shook his head again, and went out the doorway.

"Some night in shining armor." Dottie commented, sarcastically.  

"I wouldn't want him sweeping _me_ off my feet." Sparkles added.

"Youse don't have ta worry 'bout dat." Bumblits grinned, "sweeping her off her feet".  Stage rolled her eyes as she took another sip of the vintage wine.  She looked up as Skitch trotted over and dropped cross-legged onto the floor next to her.  Dutchy was soon to follow.

"What'd we miss?" Skitch asked.  Stage and Specs looked at each other.  Specs snatched the bottle from Stage's grasp and took a huge gulp.

****

Mop Top made it down the staircase and leaned against the wall at the bottom.  He blinked rapidly several times, trying to clear his vision.  Mop Top then proceeded to make his way over to where Windy was behind the desk, pouring over some paperwork.   She looked up when Mop Top banged his knee on the desk and swore.

"What's wrong?" Windy asked, looking up at the Greek.  He gave a hesitant, apologetic smile and leaned on the desk.  Windy raised her eyebrows at him.  "Mop Top, is there something you want?"

"Well," He started, looking as though he was thinking really hard.  "It's not really 'something'…"

"No?" She asked, quirking an eyebrow.  "What is it then?  I have a load of paperwork to do." Windy stated, reaching for the manila folder on her left, Mop Top's right.  He pulled it off the desk and held it behind his back.  "Mop Top, I'm _not_ in the mood to play one of your games."

"Who says I'm playing games?"

"Give me the folder."

"What about what I want?"

"Fine.  You can have anything if you give me that back!"

"Anything?"

"Anything!"

"Ok." Mop Top surrendered the folder.  Windy sighed heavily and opened it up.  She looked up a few minutes later when Mop Top had not moved an inch.

"What is it?"

"I want what I want."

"Alright, fine.  What is it you want?"

"You."

"Be serious!" Windy sighed in aggravation as she turned away.  Mop Top vaulted over the desk.

"I _am_ serious!"

"What you _are_ is drunk."

"So?  I can still think straight."  

"Mop, you've _never_ been able to 'think straight'."

"That hurts, Windy." He replied with a pout.  "Seriously, though.  Look!  I even brought you some!" Mop Top said, waving the small bottle.  Windy took it and read the label.

" 'Peach Schnapps'.  How very thoughtful…and in a train-sized bottle, too." She said, lifting her eyebrows again.

"Its your favorite flavor." 

"How the hell did you know _that_?"

"I pay attention more than you think." Mop Top grinned.  Windy had to smile at his lopsided smirk.  She shook her head with a small laugh and went back to what she was doing.  Mop Top grabbed her shoulder and spun her around.  Windy turned around again, and Mop Top repeated his action.

"Stop that." Windy pushed him.  He grinned and swept her up into his arms.  Windy shrieked and whacked his arm.  "Mop Top!"

Mop Top walked out from behind the desk and headed for a doorway across from the desk.  

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere less public."

"_MOP TOP_!"

"Ow!  Not like that!  You dirty-minded girl." He teased her.  "Besides, if you haven't noticed…the others are spying from the stairwell."

****

[1] This reply actually came out of Stage's mouth when she was debating whether or not to ask a guy out.


	15. Hangovers 'R Us

**Opening Comments: **…No shout outs because there's nothing really to comment on. O.o  _::shrugs::_ Another weekend passes without this being finished up because ToT's on some retreat.  _  _::acts like Skittery::_

**Title: **Miles Away****

**Authors: **Stage and ToT

****

Sparkles opened her eyes, squinting against the bright sunlight streaming in through the windows.  She winced at her pounding skull and lifted a hand, pressing it to her forehead.  Sparkles yawned and slowly remembered that it was Sunday.  Sunday was the break day, the editions being too big to lug around for the newsies.  Because of this, only newsstands sold the thick publications.

Sparkles yawned again and moved to get out of her bunk.  It was then that she noticed that something was holding her back…something with _body heat_.  Sparkles hesitantly lifted up the covers and spotted the two arms around her.  She then cast a glance over her shoulder at the owner of the arms.  He was just waking up.

"Morning, Bumblits."

****

ToT grumbled at the all-too-soon rising of the sun.  She buried her face further into her pillow, trying to block out the rays.  ToT sighed and tried to resume her peaceful sleep, doing her best to ignore the steady pain in her head.  Again, she promised herself no more late-night drinking.

_Damn hangovers.  What is _with_ this pillow?  It's not _fluffy_!  Waitaminute, its warm_…_ and _breathing_ for that matter!  _

ToT jerked her head back and up.  She came face to face with a wide awake and smirking Penny.  ToT's eyebrows shot up her forehead.

"Good Morning." He greeted her pleasantly.  "Sleep well?"

"Uh…" ToT stumbled, flushing a bright red.

****

Jack awoke facing the back of a blonde head.  It took him a few seconds to register where he was, what happened last night, and who the head belonged to.  He grinned when he was finished.  Jack shook the girl lying in front of him.  She turned over and mumbled something that sounded like, "thd.o.isclosedlemmealoneIdontwannagetup."

"Belle, wake up." He said. 

"Iwannasleep!" Belle griped, whacking him in the face.

"BELLE!"

"What?!  What's burning?!" She woke up with a start.  "Oh, hi Jack."

****

Specs was the next to awake.  Having not become completely smashed as the others in the room, his head held only a dull pain.  He mumbled something to himself and happened to see an arm lying across his chest.  Specs blinked at it several times before becoming aware of the fact that his hand was resting on something that was not him.

Taking a deep breath, Specs pulled back the blanket.  He followed the arm down to the possessor of it.  Specs let out a small sigh of relief when he saw that it was just Stage.

_Waitaminute!  _Just_ Stage?!_  Specs fell off the bunk.  The noise directed everyone's—who was awake—attention over to his side of the room.  Specs scrambled up to his feet just as Stage opened her eyes.  She moaned and rolled over, Stage had not bothered to limit herself on the liquor…even after she had thrown up.

"What are you doing in my bed?!" Specs demanded, rolling her back over to face him.

"Whadd'ya talkin' 'bout Specs?  Th' is my bunk." She croaked.

"No!  _That_ is your bunk!" He exclaimed, pointing over to the bunk across the small aisle.

"You drank too much last night!" Stage snapped, sitting up.  "This"—She pointed down at the bunk she was sitting on—"is my bunk.  That"—Stage pointed to the bunk across the way—"is…my bunk…oh, fudge."

****

Skittles was brought out of his peaceful slumber by bickering from the bunk two over.  He turned to look to see who was fighting and what all the commotion was about and found that he couldn't.  For one, there was someone scrunched up against his back.  And two, it was Ivy.

Skittles scooted away from her a little bit and sat up on the edge of his bunk.  He looked over to where the source of the argument was and saw Specs bending over someone.  The someone sat up and it was Stage.  She was looking cranky as she pointed at the bed she was sitting on and then at hers.  Stage's face fell and she mumbled a curse.

"Stage, whadd'ya doin' in Specs' bed?" Skittles called, careful to keep his voice low that it wouldn't wake Ivy, but loud enough that it would carry.

"Sleepin'!" Stage muttered before flopping down on her side and yanking the covers over her head.  Specs banged his forehead on the top bunk a few times.

Skittles turned back to the girl lying in _his_ bed.  Ivy had woken up.  It was apparent at how she had buried her head underneath the pillow and blanket.  Skittles pulled off both mentioned items and grinned down at Ivy.  She looked back up at him, squinting.

"What happened last night?" She asked, sitting up.

"Nothin' important." Skittles replied, draping an arm around her.

****

"Ehy!  Cut dat out!" Dutchy snapped, looking over the edge of his bunk.  "Specs?  You tryin' ta knock yerself out or sumthin'?"

"Morning, Speccy-boy!" Skitch said, extraordinarily perky.  "How'd ya sleep?"

"Prettah good, considerin' I had ta share a bunk wit Oscar da Grouch!" Specs grumbled, grabbing onto something and pulling.  Dutchy hung half off the bunk to see if Oscar _really_ _was_ in Specs' bunk.  Skitch followed his example and recognized the form buried underneath the blanket.  

"Hey, its Stage!" She exclaimed.  Sure enough, Stage pulled the blanket off her face a minute later and glared at Skitch.

"What are you so perky about?"

"I didn't drink.  That may have something to do with it."

"Get outta me bunk!" Specs yelled, seizing hold of her legs again and yanking.  Stage grabbed onto the mattress and held fast.  "Go back ta yer own!"

"Mine smells like the attic!" Stage protested.

"Its true, they do." Skitch told Dutchy.

"And I'm _comfortable_." Stage added.

"Bet ya'd be even more 'comfortable' if Specs jumped in dere next ta ya." Spot commented lightly.  Dottie who was sitting on the bunk next to him laughed.  Stage threw off the covers, seized a pillow, and launched herself at Spot.  He was not expecting the attack and fell off the bunk as she clamped the feathery object over his face. 

"Ehy, ehy!" Jack exclaimed, jumping off his bunk and running over to help the leader of Brooklyn who was currently at the mercy of the pillow-wielding Stage.  He and the rest of Manhattan pulled Stage away while Chicago watched with amusement.  Spot gasped once the pillow was off his face.

"Youse tryin' ta kill me?!"

"I think that was her plan." Dottie observed.

 Soon as excitement had passed; and Stage was being guarded in the corner, glaring up a storm; Belle got out of Jack's bunk and wandered over to the crumpled form in the middle of the floor.

Auburn hair stuck out in wild directions and that was all you could see.  Belle walked over to the left side and proceeded to poke the form with her toe.  Getting no response, she flat out kicked.  An arm shot out, seized her ankle and yanked.  Belle fell with a shout to the floor and glowered as Beamer emerged.  His hair was outrageously disheveled and his eyes bloodshot.  He glared at the blonde-haired newsie.

"If you ever—_ever_ give me gin again, I'm going to kill you!" Beamer growled, his voice hoarse from the amount of alcohol he had consumed.

"Ain't no way ta treat a laydah." Jack commented, walking over and helping Belle up.

"Ya gotta take 'em dancin'!" Bumblits laughed, remembering fragments of last night.  He immediately cut off and winced at the pain.  Sparkles started to giggle, pausing every so often to say "ow".

"Oh no…" Specs mumbled, his eyes going wide as he stood frozen.  He turned and yanked the blanket off Stage who had snuck back into the bunk.  She glared up at him.  "What _happened_ last night?" Specs demanded, looking panic-stricken.

"Whadd'ya mean?" Stage mumbled, sitting cross-legged and attempting to fix her hair.  She gave up and pulled on her newsie hat.  Specs fixed her with a disbelieving look.

"Last night!  Nothing happened, right?"

"If anything _did_ I guess you aren't gay then, huh?" Stage replied, obviously uninterested.  Specs glared at her and yanked her off the bunk.  He tossed her over one shoulder and headed for the fire escape.  Stage lost her hat. "HEY!  PUT ME DOWN!"

"Specs, where ya goin'?" Hush asked, looking a bit puzzled.

"Ta dump dis in da East Rivah." Specs replied, climbing out the window.

"Should we tell him that nothing really happened?" Skitch asked, looking over at Dutchy.  He grinned back.

"Naw, 's funnah dis way."

"Ehy, Beamah!" Racetrack called. "Whadd're does t'ings on yer arms?"

"Nothing." Beamer replied, pulling down his sleeves and crossing his arms.  Chicago didn't believe him for one minute.  Everyone leapt off their bunks and tackled him.  "ACK!  GET OFFA ME!"

"Let's see!"

"C'mon, Beamer."

"What're you hiding?"

"Show us!"

"Stop it!  Let go!" Beamer yelled.  "OW!  That _hurts_!"

"I got it!" ToT exclaimed, holding his arm up straight and pushing back the sleeve.  "Let's see…wow.  Mary, Jenna, Betty, Ethel…you sure got around, Beamer!"

"Lookit this one." Dottie held Beamer's other arm.  " 'Bunni…call me!'.  And its written in—_pink_?  …The hell?"

"Skittles, get offa me!" Beamer yelled, his voice muffled considerably.  Skittles, who was currently residing on Beamer's stomach, grinned down at his friend.  "I can't breath!"

"Guess that means that you can't sing then, huh?" He replied, bouncing a little bit.

"OW!" 

"I like Beamer's singing…" Crackers whined.  Beamer kept trying to free his arms so he could push Skittles off, but it was an attempt made without success.

"Youse gonna call any of dese goils?" Blink asked, looking with interest at all the numbers and names scrawled across his arms.  "Or can I have a few?"

"Ehy!  I call some!" Mush said, waving from his bunk.  He was promptly smacked by Hush.  "I was just kiddin'." He said, a bit sulky.

"Hi all." Mop Top chose this moment to walk in, his shirt slung over his shoulder.  Everyone froze and stared at him.  Dottie and ToT dropped Beamer's arms and Skittles stood up, just to make sure he was seeing what he thought he was.  Beamer looked around to make sure no one was watching and skittered towards the bathroom door.  Dottie and ToT were on him before he had gone three feet.  They seized hold of his ankles and dragged him back.

"Oh no, we still have questions for you, Mr.  Man-Whore." Dottie said with a grin.  ToT looked over at Dottie and shook her head.

"You've got to stop listening to Stage."

"Wow!" Belle exclaimed, looking over Mop Top.  "Where have you been hiding that body?"  Mop Top flushed an interesting shade of red as Skitch—who had been leaning forward to get a better look—fell off Dutchy's bunk with a **_thud_**_.  _Dutchy peered over the edge of the bunk with a puzzled expression as Skitch got up, trying to look dignified.  She crawled back up.

"Hey…" Dutchy whined.  "I've got a better body than that."

"I'll bet you don't." Sparkles said with raised eyebrows.

"Where's Windy?" Ivy piped up.  "I want to haggle!"

"Over what?" Skittles asked her.

"Men!"

"I'm quite happy with mine, thank you." Dottie smirked.  "Even if he's a little short."

"Ehy!" Spot glared up at her.  Dottie patted his head and Spot sulked.

"You look threatening."

"Breakfast is ready." Windy said, walking in.  She blinked when she saw all the girls staring at Mop Top.  "Okaay…or if you're preoccupied.  Mop Top, put your shirt on."

"You didn't complain last night." Mop Top commented, doing as he was told.  It was Windy's turn to flush bright red.  Skitch fell off the bunk again.

"So Windy," Penny grinned.  "How is he in bed?  Better than me?"

"WHAT?!" Mop Top, Windy, and ToT all demanded.

"I was just kidding."

"Well it wasn't funny!" Windy replied.

"Yeah, really." ToT glared.

"I can't feel my leg!" Beamer exclaimed, trying to wrench the mentioned body part from ToT's white-knuckled grip.  ToT let go of his leg as did Dottie.

"Time for breakfast." Windy sighed, walking out of the room.  All of the newsies trailed after her, stomachs growling.

****

**Closing Comments: **I don't know…I really like this chapter ^^


	16. Breakfast Table Debate

**Opening Comments: **… 

Shout Outs~ 

**Ladybug, Silversapphire, Tiger, and Sigah:** A big "T'aaaank yooouuu!" complete with glomp to y'all.  ^_^

**Princessred:** ^^;;;

**Skitch:** o.o _::walks away quickly::_  We don't need to know that…We don't need to know that… _::stops.  Comes back::_  Whoa, whoa.  You sayin' Dutchy has a better body than we do?  XD  

**Blaze: **Seriously?  That's kinda surprising.

**Title: **Miles Away****

**Authors: **Stage and ToT

****

Everyone sat down at the breakfast table and began to eat.  Windy's eyes fell upon the empty seat that would normally be occupied by an energetic Stage.  Her absence didn't seem to bother any of the others.

"Where's Stage?" 

"With Specs."

"Where's Specs?"

"At da East Rivah."

"What are they doing there?"

"Probably making out." Penny replied.

"Penny!  Is that all you think about?"

"More or less."

"Somebody's getting dumped." ToT muttered.

"We aren't going out!"

"What d'you call last night?!" ToT exclaimed, whacking him over the head.  Penny put a hand to where she had smacked him.

"Ow."

"So where's Stage?" Windy prompted.

"We already told you!  She's 'busy' with Specs at the East River!"

"Thanks, Penny." A very wet and dripping Stage grumbled, walking past the table.  She was also wearing Specs' fedora.  "I'll be upstairs, changing."

"There's one." Kloppman commented.  "Where's the other?"

"Probly floatin' in da Rivah." Racetrack chuckled.

"Glad ta know dat I's loved." Specs remarked.  "Anyone seen dat goil who made off wit me hat?"

"I's shoa she 'made off' wit it." Blink winked.  Specs glared at his one-eyed friend.

"Shaddup Petah Pirate." [1] He snapped, walking for the stairs.

"I wonder if both of them going upstairs was planned." Penny mused.

"Why would it be planned?" Skittles raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know."

"I don't want to know." Sparkles put in.

"I'll drink to that." Belle replied.

"NO!  NO DRINKS!" Beamer jumped up, eyes wide.  "NONE!"

Belle grabbed the back of his shirt and pulled him back down into his seat.  "Not alcohol, you idiot.  Just milk or water."

"Whadd'ya suppose took 'em so long at the River?" Penny brought up the subject again.

"Who knows." ToT shrugged.

"Who wants to know?" Dottie added.

"Apparently Penny does."

"Well, he's an idiot."

"Hey!" Penny exclaimed.  "That's an insult to my intelligence."

"What intelligence?"

"Shut up, Dottie!"

"You're a hot stupid idiot." ToT told him.  Penny brightened considerably.  

"Lets see," Penny mused.  "Stage was wearing his fedora and they were both soaking wet."

"Ah, so Specsie wanted ta see her wet." Dutchy grinned.  Skitch whacked him.  Dutchy pouted at her.  "Ehy…I wasn't finished.  He apparently got more dan 'e bargained for 'cause he ain't exactly dry 'imself."

"Can you make out under water?" Belle asked.  Jack shrugged.

"I would think you'd drown." Ivy stated.

"Being wet and drowning isn't exactly sexy." Sparkles commented.

"Well, in Mop Top's opinion…" Skittles began, looking over at his friend.

"Hey, hey.  Leave me out of this." Mop Top held up his hands.

"You would know about being wet, wouldn't you?  You practically _live_ in the Mediterranean." Skitch wriggled her eyebrows.

"Y'all are _still_ discussing this?" Stage demanded, taking her seat at the table.  "Y'all are easily distracted for all the wrong reasons."

"Its Penny's fault!  He has a one-track mind!" Dottie pointed at the sheepish-looking Gypsy. 

"Most guys do." Stage replied calmly.

"EHY!" Manhattan and Brooklyn exclaimed.

"She's hinting!" Penny exclaimed.  ToT buried her elbow in Penny's side.  "OW!"

"You deserved it."

"Kiss and makeup." Belle said cheerily.

"No."

"I said, _kiss and makeup_!  Now!" She growled.  Penny and ToT quickly complied.  Belle immediately regained her smile. 

"Ewwww!" Cheese and Crackers chorused.

"Just wait 'till youse dat age." Racetrack chuckled.

"Speaking of which…" Penny looked over at Stage.  She looked up and glared at him.

"_Nothing happened._"

"Which explains why you're wearing his fedora."

"What fedora?"

Right then, Specs came down the stairs.  He grabbed his fedora off Stage's head and put it own his own.  Stage grumbled something about being a hat rack as Specs sat down on the other side of her and began to eat.

"Well, obviously _something_ happened." 

"It ain't none of yer business, now is it?" Specs replied, leaning over to look at him with raised eyebrows.

"But—"

"Penny, drop it!" The rest of the table yelled. 

"Fine." He replied, dropping into a sulk.

****

**Closing Comments: **_::wonders how many people will go "O.O!  What happened at the East River?!"::_

**Stage: **^^;; I've already had that demanded by Belle, ToT, Dottie, and Sparkles.  Beamer has yet to read it…and frankly, I'm a little scared. XD

[1] I have to credit Hica Lynn with that. 


	17. Bein' Shown the City

**Opening Comments: **There's a stereotype of French girls in this chapter.  We apologize for any sort of offense.****

**Shout Outs~**

**Skitch:** o.O You would know, eh?

**Blaze: **^^ Thanks.

**Ann:** XD Great interpretation…and yesh, we're proud of you. XD

**Princessred:** We have security alarms on our talent. XD

**Mushtmblr: ***sighs* -.-;;  Will we reveal??

**Title: **Miles Away****

**Authors: **Stage and ToT

****

"Dese are da best seats in da house." Racetrack told them as he led the others into the mentioned area of the Irving Theater.  The Manhattaners were planning to show Chicago the rest of their city on their day off.  "Medda's tryin' out a new act tanight."

"Is it any good?" Sparkles asked, plopping into her seat next to Bumblits.  Racetrack shrugged and took his seat.  Before anymore questions could be asked, the houselights went down and Medda appeared on the stage.

Many of the Chicago newsies watched without interest, being used to see a bit more skin.  Beamer and Penny were comparing and contrasting while Mop Top and Skittles talked about other things.

"Ain't nothin' compared to those can-can dancers." Penny commented.  Beamer nodded in silent consent.  "And 'least they actually could _dance_.  This chick just swings her arms around a bit and walks."

"Makes you wonder what Belle did to get his attention." Skittles leaned over and murmured to Beamer.

"She's _French_." Beamer replied.

After the show was over, the New York newsies gave a standing ovation while Chicago clapped half-heartedly.  Somehow, they ended up talking with Medda after the show.  Chicago hung back, only to be dragged up front and introduced.

After that they departed for Tibby's.  Windy informed all of them that there would be absolutely no alcohol consumption while they were there.  The newsies pushed tables together in order to sit by one another and chatted.

"So what'd youse guys t'ink of da show?" Jack inquired.

"Eh…well…"

"It was…"

"Um,"

"I, uh,"

"It…"

"It was alright…"

"I've seen lower necklines than that." Penny said.

"Go figure."

"Oh shut up, Beamer."

"Make me."

"You want to start something?!"

"You have a girlfriend."

"No!  I didn't mean—ew!" Almost all the guys scootched away from Beamer with many a scraping of chairs and wary looks.

"I'm not gay!"

"Prove it!"

"How?"

"I don't know…kiss one of the girls."

"NO!" All the girls chorused.

"That hurts."

"We've seen you walk around in your underwear." Dottie replied.

"Its practically incest!" Belle exclaimed.

"Why don't you call one of those girls from your arms?" Skitch asked through a mouthful of food.

"I'm not calling them!"

"Why not?"

"Because…well, I don't know them!"

"Does it matter?"

"YES!"

"Go hit on a waitress then." 

"There aren't any."

"Hm." Skitch reflected for a moment.  "Can't help you." She told him before shoving more food in her mouth.

"I didn't _ask_ you to."

"Are we going to sit around here all day?  Its kinda boring." Dottie pointed out, looking around at the white walls and none-too interesting decorations.  She stifled a yawn and slouched back in her seat.

"Come on." Spot stood up and took her by the arm.  "I's can show ya my side of da bridge."

"Okay!" Dottie jumped up and went with him.  Several of the girls shook their heads in mild amusement or disgust.  Windy pulled a pocket watch out of her pocket and flicked it open to look at the time.  She closed it and replaced it.

"We should be heading back now." Windy told them all.  The newsies dished out money for their separate orders.  The group headed out the doors and back towards their Lodging House.

"Skittles?" Stage asked, slipping up beside him and offering her arm.  

"Stage." He said and took it.  The two started their jig.  Ivy went about her flips and aerials, causing several people to stop and stare at the circus going on in the streets of Manhattan.  Mop Top swept up Sparkles, placing her on his shoulders again as Beamer grabbed Windy and started to waltz with her.  Mush soon went about a routine with Ivy, the two doing their flips in sync.  Blink and Race joined in on Skittles and Stage's jig.  Bumblits, Pie Eater, and Dutchy proceeded to do complicated dance steps complete with flips.  Skitch, ToT, Snipeshooter, and Boots began a game of leap frog.  Skittery took a flying leap onto Specs' back who nearly fell face-forward onto the cobble-stoned street.  He flailed his arms and regained his balance.  Specs lost his fedora which was promptly snatched up by Stage. Jack and Penny strutted ahead of the group, winking at all the passing girls.  Belle joined them a few minutes later, winking at the guys.  Jack and Penny hoisted her up and carried her between them, like a queen on her throne.

The group stopped in front of the Distribution Office and resumed normal behavior before proceeded on towards the Lodging House.  They didn't want to give Kloppman a heart attack…


	18. “Brooklyn. Head for Spot’s territory.”

**Shout Outs~**

**Blaze:** Thanks!  Being entertaining ish good. XD

**Singah:** Erm, more appropriately would be "post more", 'cause we finished it up two days ago.  ^^;

**Skitch:** o.O There's a stale roll in your memories? XD

**Ann:** Insanity? Of course.  Bwaha.

**Title: **Miles Away****

**Authors: **Stage and ToT

****

"Ah, home sweet home." Mop Top sighed.  "At long last our trek has come to an end.  We shall now lie in our soft beds once again."

"More like Windy's." Skittles said with a grin.  Mop Top shoved him.

"Cut the dramatics, Mop." Windy sighed, hopping up the stairs and walking through the door.  She saw who was standing in front of the desk and turned around, hiding her face.  "Oh, shit…" Windy mumbled, quickly walking out again. 

"That was my niece, I apologize for her entrance.  She knows that she is to be neither seen nor heard when I have important guests." Kloppman quickly covered with ease, he had done so _God only knows_ how many times before.

"She was wearing pants…"

"She does much of the housework around here and doesn't like to get her skirts dirty.  She wears work clothing of newsies and skirts in her free time."

****

"Windy, what's the matter?  Scared of Klopp?" Beamer teased.

"Shut up, idiot!" Windy hissed.  "We have to get ourselves the hell out of here."

"Why?" Mush asked.

"Because," Windy replied, looking behind her.  "The Mayor of _Chicago_ is here!"

"Oh no."

"Shit."

"Damn it."

"Let's go!  What are we standing around for?  Move, move, move!"

"Get the lead outta yer pants!"

"Where do we go?"

"Brooklyn.  Head for Spot's territory."

****

"Wow, this view is _gorgeous_." Stage commented, looking over the edge of the Brooklyn Bridge and down to the waters below.  "Wouldn't this be a neat way to die?  Jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge and enveloped in the waters below?"

"No." Specs said firmly, dragging her back by her sleeve and pulling her along.  Stage pouted slightly, still wanting to stare out at the view.

"D'you think that Spot will mind?" Skitch asked.  "I mean, there's over thirty of us."

"Don't mattah.  Dis is da only place we's got ta go ta." Dutchy shrugged.  "We's gotta at least try and it ain't like we's stayin' dere forevah."

"I wonder if it's possible to climb up those suspensions." Ivy mused, looking up at the mentioned objects.

"You ain't finding out while I'm around." Skittles told her.

"Its windy…" ToT whined, leaning against Penny.

"Yes, yes it is." Mop Top grinned.

"No, its breezy."

"At least it isn't snowing horizontal." Sparkles commented.

"'S da middle a' summah." Bumblits said, looking down at her with raised eyebrows.

"My point exactly."

"Is it possible fer it ta snow horizontal?" Blink asked, a bit curious.

"They don't call Chicago the 'Windy City' for nothing, you know." ToT told him.

"Windy owns Chicago?" Mush asked in a teasing sort of voice. 

"No, you idiot." Skitch pushed him. 

"Hey, don't push! I's gonna fall off da bridge."

"Really?"

"Stop!"

"We's heah." Jack announced.  He led the group down towards the docks and wove through the crowds of boys jumping off the docks.  Jack soon arrived at Spot's pier and the Brooklynite approached him.

"Whadd'ya doin' heah, Jackie-boy?" Spot asked, curious.

"Da mayor of Chicago came ta da Lodgin' House.  We's gonna need a place ta hide out, any place 'round heah?"

"I'll see what I's can do." 

****

**Closing Comments: **Short chapter, but what ya gonna do?  REVIEW!


	19. Going For A Swim In Brooklyn

**Opening Comments: **There's a stereotype of French girls in this chapter.  We apologize for any sort of offense.

Shout Outs~ 

**Mushtmblr:** XD;; I didn't really think there was any sort of suspense, this fic is so crazy.  XD

**Princessred:** Sorry you're sick. u_u  That always sucks.

**Rae Kelly:** "Interesting" is a nice way to put it… ^^;;;

**Tiger:** Remember how he said he'd pay their trip fees?  Remember how much they ate…and the liquor they stole?  XD

**Ann:** See above.  And calm down.  XD

**VinylNoMiko:** You'll find out soon enough.

**Title: **Miles Away****

**Authors: **Stage and ToT

****

"Pair of deuces!" Belle exclaimed, slamming down her cards.  She grinned at the groans coming from the Brooklyn boys.  The ones from Manhattan had learned their lesson last time.  Belle scooped her winnings towards her.

"You cheat!" Accused one boy named Pepper.

"Where would I put them—don't answer that."

"Where no one else would want to go." ToT told her.  She then rethought her answer.  "Well…"

Belle ignored her and fixed a crease in her skirt with the hand that she held the cards in.  She shifted her position on the dock.

"You do so cheat!  They're in your skirt!"

"Let's look!" 

"Lets not."

"Youse just afraid dat your covah will be blown."

Belle jumped up from her spot on the dock and went over to where Jack was leaning against the crates, smoking.  She sidled up to him and pouted.

"Jaack…" Belle whined.  "They want to go up my skirt…"

"_I_ want to go up your skirt."

"Well, I know you do.  But you're different…they're dirty.  You're a man." 

There was a massive silence and many of the Chicago girls turned and fixed Belle with a disbelieving/disgusted look.  She did her best to keep a straight face as Jack crushed his cigarette and grinned at her.

"So, anyways…I'm going for a swim.  Anyone else?" Stage broke the awkward silence.

"I think I'll just sit here and look sexy." Penny said, stretching out next to the edge of the dock with a sigh.  ToT and Sparkles walked over to him.

"Lets play toss penny!" Sparkles suggested.

"You wouldn't be able to lift me." Penny snorted.

"Grab his legs!" ToT exclaimed.  Sparkles seized a hold of Penny's ankles and ToT took his wrists.  They pulled him off the ground and swung him back and forth.

"Hey!  Hey!  Put me down!" Penny shouted.

"One…" Sparkles counted.

"Put me down or I'll kill you both!  Don't think I wont!"

"Two…"

"Anything!  Anything you want!  Just don't throw me in _there_!"

"Three!"

As Penny swung back forward, ToT and Sparkles let go of him and he sailed into the river with a nicely-sized _splash_.  ToT grinned and waved at Penny when he came up gasping for air and his hair in total disarray.

"You know your girlfriend loves you when…" Skittles mumbled, having watched the scene safely from his perch atop several boxes.  Ivy casually strolled over to the stack and "accidentally" bumped into it.  Skittles squawked and flapped his arms as the crates fell backwards into the water.

Stage—meanwhile—was standing off to one side and unbuttoning her shirt.  She looked up and blinked at the looks she was getting.

"There's a little thing called an undershirt." Beamer said, making a disgusted face.  Stage grinned.

"I'm too sexy for my shirt…" She cha-chaed, tossing her shirt which landed on Blink's head.  His face lighted up and he attempted to hide it behind his hand of cards.

"Shoa know how ta pick 'em, Specs." Racetrack commented.  Specs glared at him and Stage who pretended not to notice anything.  She jumped off the end of the dock and dove into the river.

"So, uh…where's Penny?" ToT asked, searching the river surface for her boyfriend.  "Stage, did you jump on him?"

"I think I would have noticed." She replied, climbing up the ladder and back onto the dock.

"Anyone seen Penny?"

"Maybe he drowned." Sparkles shrugged.

"Come to think of…anyone seen Dottie or Spot?" 

"Do we want to?" Hush remarked.

"Why?" Tag piped up.  "Where'd they go?" 

"Yeah, swimming sounds good now." Mop Top jumped into the river, followed closely by Skittles who had just gotten out.  

"So…Penny…" ToT mumbled.  She shrieked when a cold hand grabbed her ankle and yanked her in.  ToT came up spitting out water and glared at Penny's smug face.

"Gotcha."

"CANNONBALL!!" Came Beamer's yell.  A moment later, he jumped from the dock, doing exactly as he had yelled.

"Beamer!  No!  Don't!" Mop Top yelled.

"Ack!" 

"Watch it!"

"Everyone take cover!"

"Dive, dive, dive!"

_Sploosh!_

"That was scary."

"Everyone still alive?"

"Beamer!"

"What?"

"You're supposed to look before you dive!"

"I did."

"I mean…nevermind."

"So, anyone dead?" Sparkles asked, leaning over the edge.

"I know I'm fat, but I don't weigh _that_ much!" Beamer yelled.

"You're not fat!" Chorused everyone in the water.

"I weigh more than you!" Mop Top told him.

"Well, yeah…but you're taller than me.  And you have more muscle."

"As we all know." ToT grinned.

"Hey." Penny took off his shirt.

"No.  Put your shirt back on."

"Fine."

"Hey, he listens."

"Wish mine did." Stage commented.

"Ehy!" Specs yelled.  "I'm not yours!"

"Uh huh.  Your turn in the river." Stage grabbed the back of his shirt and started to drag him towards the water.

"I don't want to get wet again!" He insisted, twisting from her grip and jumping to his feet.

"So what _did_ happen at the East River?" Penny asked as he climbed up the ladder.

"Nothing!" Specs and Stage both yelled.

"Which explains why you were both soaking wet." 

"Nothing.  Happened." Stage glared.

"Riiight…dirty!" Belle exclaimed.  "Nothing but dirty, dirty SEX!" 

The look on their faces was priceless as Stage and Specs both turned bright maroon.  Stage looked as though she was about to cry and Specs had a very pained expression across his face…as though he had just been punched in the stomach several times.

"No…" Stage whined.  "I'm just gonna curl up and die now."

"Who gets your bunk?" Sparkles asked.

"ME!" Penny yelled.

"Hey!  Can't anyone get a decent sleep 'round here?" Skitch demanded, popping up out of a crate right next to Penny.  He jumped and fell backwards into the river.  "All of you talking about sex and whatnot."

"Who's talking about sex?" Jack asked.

"Alright honey, no." Belle said, pulling him away from the crowd.

"We all know what they'll be doing." Skitch grumbled.

"Why is Belle so…her?" Mush asked after a pause.

"She's _French_." Chicago responded.

"Everybody in the river!  Again!"  

~*~

"So, where are we sleeping?" Skitch asked curiously as Spot led them to their quarters.

"I don't think it matters for you.  You were quite comfortable in that crate." Dutchy commented, raising his eyebrows at her.

"But there was no room for you."

"I'm blocking out this conversation.  Right now." Stage put her hands over her ears and continued walking…and tripped over a chunk of wood.  She laid sprawled on the dock and showed no sign of getting up.  "Ehhh…"

Skittery grumbled something and picked up Stage as he walked by her.  The other girls immediately pretended to sprain their ankles.  Each was picked up by a passing newsie.

"How did we get suckahd inta dis?" Racetrack grumbled.

"We're just too cute to resist." Sparkles smiled.

****


	20. The End of the Beginning

**Opening Comments: **WAIII~!  Here it is, all!  The final installment of "Miles Away"…don't worry tho, ToT and I have decided that this'll be a trilogy. ^_~  Look for "Convicts", the sequel to "Immigrants" next!  AND THANK Y'ALL SO MUCH FOR REVIEWING!  WE BROKE TRIPLE DIGITS! _::dancedance::_

Shout Outs~ 

**Mushtmblr:** XD Thanks.

**Silversapphire: **And how very like us, eh?

**Skitch: **Of course.  ^_^  hey, didja know that a "Dutchy" or a "Duchy" is a piece of land ruled by a Duke or Duchess?  ^^;;; Dottie and I are apparently ToT's Dutchys XD XD 

**Rae Kelly:** Yay!  Thank you! _::glomp::_

**Bam:** Tsk, tsk.  ^^ See what happens when you're lazy?

**Ann:**_ ::sends newsie out to pick up Ann::_

**Blaze: **^^;  Would you believe that ToT doesn't write humor easily when we aren't together?  It's kinda strange, really.  But yeah.  "Convicts" will be serious…hopefully people will still like it.  ^^;;;;  This fic was supposed to be serious, in fact.

**Hush:** Thanks.  And we would push Mush off the bridge…heh, heh…

**VinylNoMiko:** XD You could make it happen in a fic… *winkwink*

**Title: **Miles Away****

**Authors: **Stage and ToT

****

Three Days Later… 

"Hey, Dottie.  Its time ta go." Windy said, shaking the newsie.  Dottie turned over and grumbled something.  "DOTTIE!"

"What?!" She exclaimed, sitting up.

"We're leaving."

"Fine."

"Meaning, you are coming as well!" Windy said, pulling Dottie from the bunk.  Dottie glared before getting up and starting to dress.

"Hey, Stage.  You're supposed to be dead." Penny frowned.  "How long does it take you to die anyway?"

"Thanks.  Love you too."

"But…I _like_ Stage." Tag whined, his eyes filling with tears.  He, Cheese, and Crackers all glomped tightly to Stage who stumbled backwards and fell to the ground.  She tried her best to pry off the young'uns but was unsuccessful without the aid of a crowbar.

"Help!  I'm being attacked!" Stage exclaimed, struggling.  "Get them off!"

"Oh, yeah.  You're going to be a _great_ mother." Specs commented, managing to pull off Cheese.

"What?!" Sparkles exclaimed.  "Stage!"

"You're pregnant?!" ToT demanded.

"I _told_ you!  Dirty!" Belle added.

"NO!" Stage yelled.  "I'm _not_ pregnant…or at least, I don't think I am…"

"What?" Specs asked, blushing.

"Oh, that reminds me…Jack…" Belle began.

"Yeah?"

"DIRTY!" Everyone else yelled in unison.

"Think about it, Jack."

"Think about what?" 

"This could take a while." Bumblits grumbled, hunting under beds for his missing sock.  He cursed loudly when he cracked his head on a bunk.

"Er, anyways…" Penny said, changing the subject.  "Are you two ever going to tell us what happened at the East River?"

"Do you _ever_ shut up?!" Blink demanded.

"You tell him." Stage said to Specs.

"Why me?"

" 'Cause you're the one who did it."

"Did _what_, exactly?" Penny interrupted.

"Ehy, youse da one dat got yaself inta trouble." Specs ignored him.

"You _have_ to tell us." Skittles insisted.  "Especially since Stage is pregnant because of it."

"I am _not_ pregnant!"

"Sure.  We'll just see in a month." Penny said.

"A month?" Sparkles asked.  "Hate to tell ya, Penny, but babies don't grow that fast."

"No, I meant like…she'll be throwing up and stuff."

"How do you know so much about pregnancies?" Dottie asked in a suspicious tone.

"There's something he's not telling us!" Skitch exclaimed.

"He's a guy." ToT told them all.  "For the record."

"ToT's checked." Ivy nodded. "You looking for dirty, Belle?  That's dirty."

"Maybe I have, maybe I haven't." ToT pouted.

"In other words, definite yes." Stage told them all.

"I wasn't talking to you."

"You never are."

"Since this conversation _started_ with you…why don't you finish what you were telling us?"

"Fine.  Specs 'rescued' me from those hormone-driven assholes." Stage replied, going to help Bumblits hunt for his sock.

"In oddah woirds, da Delancys." Specs interpreted.

"And getting soaked in the process?" Mop Top raised an eyebrow.

Specs shrugged.  "Oscar threw her in.  I guess bein' called 'not pretty' ticked him off more dan we t'ought."

"He isn't!" Stage exclaimed.

"That's it?" Penny whined.

"Youse was expectin' somethin' a little more…intimate?"  Specs asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah!"

"And you say you grew up with him?" Specs asked, turning to Stage who had rejoined the group.

"Yes, I did." Stage answered, waving a sock in front of Bumblits' face.  He grinned and took it.  "You're welcome."

"Ready to go?" Windy asked.  

"Let's get goin'." Jack led the way out the door.  Manhattan led the way across the bridge with Chicago following right behind…they were going home.

THE END 

"Don't you dare push me off the bridge!"

_Splash._

****

**Closing Comments: **Just a bit of last minute humor for y'all there.  Woo hoo!  We're done!  Now review us! XD  We love you all and a big super-mega glomp to those who stayed with us all the way through those crazy twenty chapters.


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